TNAG-2658-FCO40-3854-Future-of-Hong-Kong-British-Consulate-General-1992 — Page 39

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101416

MDHOAN 9476

OF SOLICITORS TO CONSIDER WHETHER A LEASE GRANTED IN ADDITION TO THE PRIVATE TREATY GRANT WOULD GIVE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ADDITIONAL PROTECTION. PRESUMABLY THE LEASE WOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE RELEVANT ORDINANCES ON LANDLORD AND TENANT. IF SO, THIS MIGHT GIVE FURTHER PROTECTION TO THE FUTURE CONSULATE-GENERAL FROM ARBITRARY BEHAVIOUR BY THE HONG KONG SAR GOVERNMENT.

5. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT CLAUSE 2 (B) HAS BEEN FURTHER TIGHTENED SINCE THE DRAFT ENCLOSED WITH MR

WILLIAMS' LETTER OF 16 DECEMBER TO YOU. POSSESSION OF THE RELEVANT PART OF THE SITE IS NOW DEFERRED NOT ONLY UNTIL THE JUSTICE DRIVE/KENNEDY ROAD LINK ROAD IS COMPLETED TO THE DIRECTORS SATISFACTION BUT UNTIL IT ''IS OPEN FOR PUBLIC USE''. DURING THE MEETINGS OF THE OED/HKD TEAM WITH BUILDINGS AND LANDS IN NOVEMBER, WE REGISTERED STRONG CONCERN THAT THE POSTPONMENT OF THE LINK ROAD DEVELOPMENT UNTIL 1996 WOULD MEAN RESTRICTING OUR POSSESSION OF THE COLVIN HOUSE SITE UNTIL AFTER 1997. (IN PRACTICE IT WOULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE ARCHITECT TO MEET THE DESIGN BRIEF REQUIREMENTS FOR SEPARATE ACCESS TO THE THREE SECTIONS OF THE BUILDING, WHILE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS IS INDEFINITELY DENIED ALONG ONE SIDE OF THE SITE). AT THAT TIME JIM HUGHES UNDERTOOK TO LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ACCEPTABLE COMPROMISE INVOLVING AN EARLIER START ON THE SEGMENT OF THE ROAD ADJACENT TO OUR SITE. WE HAVE SEEN NO SIGN OF ANY PROGRESS ON THIS IDEA AND WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD PURSUE AND LET US HAVE A READOUT. (NOTE: THIS IS A POINT IN WHICH LORD CAITHNESS HAS EXPRESSED PARTICULAR INTEREST)

6.

FINALLY WITH AN EYE TO BRIEFING LORD CAITHNESS FOR HIS VISIT, YOU WILL HAVE SEEN HONG KONG TELNO 294 IN WHICH THE GOVERNOR SUGGESTS THAT HEADQUARTERS HOUSE MAY BE A SUITABLE RESIDENCE FOR THE FUTURE CONSUL GENERAL. AT FIRST SIGHT, OED BELIEVE THAT IT DOES HAVE POTENTIAL. CLEARLY THE CHINA DIMENSION PRESENTS PROBLEMS WHICH WILL REQUIRE CAREFUL HANDLING CAND MAY ULTIMATELY PROVE INSUPERABLE), BUT MEANWHILE WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD EXPLORE WITH HKG THE TERMS OF A POSSIBLE SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT UNDER WHICH HEADQUARTERS HOUSE MIGHT BE MADE AVAILABLE TO US FOR THE CONSUL GENERAL, AND LET US HAVE A SITREP IN TIME TO BRIEF LORD CAITHNESS FOR HIS VISIT.

HURD

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