CONFIDENTIAL
83
115624
MDHIAN 4984
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 30110OZ FCO
TELNO 1814
OF 301057Z NOVEMBER 93
HUB 091/3
6 JLL 1993
Q DIST?
TOP COPY
Mr Whitney
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INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, UKDEL OECD, PEKING
51
YOUR TELNO 607: OBSERVER STATUS FOR HONG KONG IN THE TRADE
COMMITTEE
SUMMARY
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HONG KONG'S APPLICATION FOR OBSERVER STATUS IN THE TRADE COMMITTEE SUBMITTED ON 24 NOVEMBER. THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY (NCNA), AFTER BEING BRIEFED ON 15 NOVEMBER, REVERTED ON 24 NOVEMBER TO REQUEST DISCUSSION IN THE JLG IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AGREED GUIDELINES FOR CONSULTATION ON INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS (IROS). DESPITE CLARIFICATION THAT OBSERVER STATUS IN THE TRADE COMMITTEE DOES NOT INVOLVE ANY IROS, ON 26 NOVEMBER NCNA CONFIRMED INSTRUCTIONS FROM PEKING THAT THE CHINESE POSITION REMAINED UNCHANGED.
DETAIL
2. ON 15 NOVEMBER, THE DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER (ASHTON) BRIEFED ZHU CHANGNIAN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE NCNA FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT, OF OUR INTENTION TO APPLY FOR OBSERVER STATUS IN THE OECD TRADE COMMITTEE. ASHTON MADE CLEAR THAT WE INTENDED TO ISSUE OUR APPLICATION IN THE FORM OF A LETTER IN THE WEEK BEGINNING 22 NOVEMBER.
3. PRIOR TO BRIEFING THE NCNA, WE HAD ASKED LINUS CHEUNG OF CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS TO BRIEF CHEN ZUOER OF THE HKMAO INFORMALLY. ACCORDING TO CHEUNG, CHEN REACTED POSITIVELY AND DID NOT RAISE ANY PROBLEM. IN ADDITION BOTH THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY AND THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF TRADE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY OF RECENT
CONTACTS IN THE MARGINS OF THE APEC MINISTERIAL IN SEATTLE AND A RECENT SEMINAR IN HONG KONG TO BRIEF MADAM WU YI AND MR LONG YUNGTU, DIRECTOR GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC AND TRADE RELATIONS OF MOFTEC. BOTH TOOK CAREFUL NOTE BUT DID NOT EXPRESS ANY VIEW.
4. ON 24 NOVEMBER NCNA TOLD US WE SHOULD PUT THE MATTER TO THE JLG
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