CONFIDENTIAL
0071177 MDHIAN 1330
NOTE
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING FROM THE 1990 INSPECTION REPORT BUT WE DO NOT KNOW THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT HAS BEEN OVERTAKEN. SO FAR AS WE KNOW THERE HAS BEEN NO COMPREHENSIVE REVISION WHICH
TAKES ACCOUNT OF THE CHANGES IN THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG.
4. (B) CONCERNS
(SEE ALSO MY MO'S ACCOUNT OF THE MEETING OF 3/7 IN BTC WITH MR WHITTLE FAXED TO FCO ON 7/7).
(1) IF FARRELL'S ARE CHOSEN, HOW WILL THE VIEWS OF THE BTC AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES IN HONG KONG BE FED IN TO THE CHANGES THAT WILL HAVE TO BE MADE TO THEIR PLANS?
(2) SINCE MOST OF THE PLANNING WILL BE DONE IN LONDON, WHAT ASSURANCE CAN BE GIVEN THAT FULL WEIGHT WILL BE GIVEN TO REVISED OBJECTIVES OF THE BTC (AS GIVEN IN FIRST DRAFT TO MR HUM, DISCUSSED WITH THE HEAD OF THE HKAC AND SOON TO BE GONE OVER IN DETAIL WITH THE MINISTER OF TRADE)?
(3) ON THE FARRELL PROPOSALS
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(I) THE FUNNELLING OF ALL VISITORS THROUGH ONE CHANNEL GOES AGAINST EXPERIENCE HERE AND ELSEWHERE. THE US CONSULATE- GENERAL IS TO BE REBUILT TO GIVE MAXIMUM SEPARATION BETWEEN VISITORS TO THE VISA SECTION AND THOSE WAITING TO TALK
BUSINESS OR SEEK CONSULAR ADVICE. DOES YOUR SUGGESTION OF BRINGING CONSULAR VISITORS IN AN EMERGENCY THROUGH THE STAFF ENTRANCE TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE ESTIMATE OF 170,000 UK NATIONALS IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997? (THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT OED RIGHTLY INSISTED ON IN MY LAST TWO POSTS). ROME, I AM TOLD, IS ALSO RELEVANT.
(II) THE FACILITIES PROPOSED FOR THE COMMERCIAL SECTION ARE MARKEDLY INFERIOR TO THOSE WE NOW ENJOY. MR WHITTLE SUGGESTED WAYS OF IMPROVING THAT BY EJECTING THE BRITISH CHAMBER BUT A MAJOR STRATEGIC AIM (PROPOSED AND GENERALLY AGREED) IS TO BUILD THE CHAMBER UP AND HAVE IT IN. THE CHAMBER AND THE COMMERCIAL SECTION MUST WORK TOGETHER.
(III)
THE MULTI-PURPOSE HALL AS LOCATED BY FARRELL IS OF NO VALUE TO THE CONSULATE-GENERAL.
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