TNAG-2750-FCO40-3965-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-Hong-Kong-interests-1993 — Page 21

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB

091/1

RECEIVED IN DORISTRY

27 MAY 1003

FM FCO

DESK OFFICER

REGISTRY

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG.

INDEX

PA

Action Taken

TELNO 510

OF 251913Z MAY 93

AND TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

(104)

105175 MDHOAN 3327

YOUR TELNO 840: CHINA/MFN: LINE TO TAKE

1.

We have discussed the draft press release in TUR with Washington. We are broadly content. We understand that the Lines are primarily for use in Hong Kong, but we have a few small suggestions designed to make them more user-friendly should they be picked up by the US media. They are intended to make` the announcement as positive as possible and avoid any suggestion that we are carping:

Para 1, Line 3: Delete the words 'at least'

Para 2, Line 1: Substitute 'concerned' for 'disappointed'.

Para 6, line 1: Delete the words 'dispute the annual conditions'. Para 8, Line 1: Delete the words 'not managed'.

Para 9, Last sentence to read: 'The Administration has made it clear that Hong Kong will remain a major factor in US thinking.'

2.

For the same reasons, we wonder if paragraph 3 is essential. Does not paragraph 7 make the same point more effectively? We also think that paragraph 4 (should it prove true) might play badly in Congress, ie if they interpret it as implying that we believe conditions by Executive order are a soft option for China. We wonder if this might better be employed as

unattributable background.

HURD

YYYY

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CONFIDENTIAL