CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 021/2
RECEIVED IN REGIS
(5)
063613
MDHOAN 9201
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
TELNO 139
OF 041445Z FEBRUARY 92
13 FEB 1992
TOP COPY Q DIST?
Pa
js/z
/5/2. 26
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG INFO PRIORITY PEKING
4
FROM HKD
YOUR TELNO 237: THE US/HK POLICY ACT 1991 (THE MCCONNELL BILL)
1.
WE ARE CONCERNED TO NOTE THAT THE BILL IS NOW GATHERING MOMENTUM. AS OUR TELNO 130 INDICATED, THE CHINESE EMBASSY HERE ARE GETTING INCREASINGLY AGITATED ABOUT IT. AMBASSADOR MA WILL RAISE IT WITH LORD CAITHNESS ON 10 FEBRUARY AND QIAN QICHEN MAY LOBBY THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON 9 MARCH.
"
2. WE THEREFORE NEED A CLEAR GAME PLAN. UP TO NOW, IN LINE WITH ADVICE FROM HONG KONG AND PEKING, WE HAVE TAKEN A HANDS-OFF APPROACH, NEITHER SUPPORTING THE BILL, NOR GIVING COMMENTS OR DRAFTING SUGGESTIONS TO THE AMERICANS. BUT GIVEN THE EVIDENCE
THAT THE CHINESE ARE INCREASINGLY LOOKING AT THIS AS A PIECE OF DELIBERATE INTERNATIONALISATION, WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT A WHOLLY DISENGAGED APPROACH IS SUSTAINABLE. THERE SEEM TO US TO BE TWO
OPTIONS: EITHER WE START LOBBYING ACTIVELY TO HAVE THE MOST
UNSATISFACTORY FEATURES OF THE BILL REMOVED (IE IN PARTICULAR
THE REPORTING REQUIREMENT) OR WE DISSOCIATE OURSELVES FROM IT PUBLICLY IF IT EVER PASSES (IN WHICH CASE WE SHOULD PRESUMABLY
EXPLAIN NOW TO THOSE CONCERNED ON THE HILL WHY WE WILL HAVE TO DO SO).
3
THE CHINESE ARE NO DOUBT LOOKING FOR A PUBLIC CONDEMNATION, FROM US, AT LEAST ON A PAR WITH THAT BY WU JIANMIN ON 17 OCTOBER (PEKING TELNO 1762 OF 17 OCTOBER 1991 REFERS). THE SYMBOLISM OF A PUBLIC STATEMENT WILL COUNT FOR MORE WITH THE CHINESE THAN
ANY IMPROVEMENTS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THROUGH LOBBYING.
BUT A PUBLIC STATEMENT THAT WE REGARDED PARTS OF THE BILL AS
UNHELPFUL GIVEN THE PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG WOULD PRESUMABLY GO DOWN BADLY WITH SENATOR MCCONNELL AND OTHERS CAND WOULD LEAVE US OPEN TO ATTACK BY MARTIN LEE ET AL FOR
''KOWTOWING'' TO CHINA) THERE IS THE FURTHER CONSIDERATION THAT, IF WE ARE SEEN TO OPOSE SENATOR MCCONNELL'S WELL- INTENTIONED ATTEMPT TO HARNESS CONGRESSIONAL INTEREST IN HONG
W
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CONFIDENTIAL
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