CONFIDENTIAL
14
decision has been taken on whether the
NO final
Governor should go
year.
to the US to lobby for MFN renewal next TIB in the course of drawing up proposals for MFN lobbying strategy which will be considered by the Governor personally before the end of the year.
Purpose of TIB'S review is to determine the most effective strategy: the most effective messages and the best way of putting them across. What may look best in Hong Kong may not work best in Washington.
Defensive
MFN situation radically different since signing of
Clinton's Executive Order on conditional renewal of China's
MFN status in May 1993. Although US Congress has focused on
human rights situation in China since June 1989, US
Administration's renewal of China's MFN status was, until
Executive Order, unconditional.
President Clinton's Order had conditioned China's MFN
renewal in 1994 on human rights improvement.
President
Clinton's
Task of lobbying, more difficulty next year than in the past, as: President Clinton, a Democrat President, is expected to be prepared to work with Congress on China's MFN
renewal, whereas in the past, President Bush was expected to *veto strategy', i.e. muster enough votes in the
Senate ta make sure Congress could not override the
President's veto of any resolution to disapprove his
decision on unconditional renewal.
adopt a
HK
would need to adopt a more subtle, more sensitive strategy next year to lobby for MFN continuation, that will
take account of US sensitiveness on human rights and have
maximum impact on the US Congress and US
Strategy being worked
worked out, LegCo Panel
the
Administration.
consulted as part of the review.
80'd
BSOL TZG 258+
(59) 30190 S.01 AundBⱭ
IS:OT SEAT-OON-II
i
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.