CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 02010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 941
OF 011615Z NOVEMBER 93
AND TO IMMEDIATE TOKYO
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
16
020445
MDHOAN 0333
18
TOP COPY QUIST?
ра pa 011/1
OUR TELNO 937 AND TOKYO TELNO 828: LEGCO QUESTION ON COMFORT WOMEN
1.
We have consulted Mr Goodlad, who is content with your proposed replies on (a) and (b), and agrees with the advice in Tokyo TUR, particularly that in para 2. Should Hong Kong ''comfort women'' come forward and seek our help in approaching the Japanese government, we should wish to be as helpful as we could, subject to the legal constraints. But it would not be right to make any pre-emptive public undertakings in advance of any requests from the women themselves.
2. If you see benefit however - in the interests of appearing as helpful as possible (and Tokyo agrees) you might wish to add one (or both) of the two sentences in square brackets below, so that the answer to (c) reads (in full):
QUOTE
By
The question whether an approach can now be made by the UK Government for damages for such women is constrained by the Treaty of Peace with Japan signed at San Francisco in 1951. arrangements made under that treaty payments subsequently made by the Japanese Government fully discharged its obligations to the allied powers for the damage and suffering caused during the war. The UK Government therefore has no legal right to make any further claims on behalf of its nationals, OPEN SQUARE BRACKETS although UK Ministers have often discussed related issues informally with Japanese Ministers. CLOSE SQUARE BRACKETS. is however open to such women or the Honourable Member acting on their behalf to open discussions with the Japanese Government about these matters. SQUARE BRACKETS The Hong Kong Government will reflect on whether there is anything else that might be done. CLOSE SQUARE BRACKETS. UNQUOTE
It
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HKCC 011/1 RECE
ISTRY
(3 NOV 1993
r
INJALA
PA
ECISTRY Action Taker
A
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