TNAG-2803-FCO40-4043-Canadian-proposal-for-a-multilateral-meeting-on-Hong-Kong-in-1993 — Page 6

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1883

OF 16063OZ DECEMBER 93

0213

RECEP

22 DEC 1993

CAMMENDED DISTRIBUTION TSN/2.93)

NOUX

on Taken

INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, CANBERRA, OTTAWA, TOKYO, PEKING INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG

165222

MDHIAN 7484

2

FROM:

POLITICAL ADVISER.

PERSONAL FOR: HUM (AUSS) AND RICKETTS

(HKD).

INFO ADDRESSEES PERSONAL FOR HEADS OF MISSION.

LETTER HUM/POLITICAL ADVISER OF 16 NOVEMBER (NOT TO OTHERS); CANADIAN PROPOSAL FOR MULTILATERAL MEETING ON HONG KONG.

SUMMARY.

1. FORMAL CANADIAN PROPOSAL FOR TWO-DAY WORKING LEVEL MEETING IN

VANCOUVER IN JANUARY ON HONG KONG ISSUES. US, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA, UK AND HONG KONG INVITED. WE RECOGNISE RISKS, BUT WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND POSITIVELY. SUGGEST WE SUPPORT BUT SEEK A DELAY IN

THE TIMING OF ANY MEETING.

DETAIL.

2.

AS WE EXPECTED, THE CANADIANS HAVE NOW DEVELOPED FURTHER THEIR IDEA OF A MULTILATERAL MEETING ON HONG KONG. THE CANADIAN COMMISSION HAS WRITTEN TO US (COPY BY FAX TO RICKETTS, HKD) PROPOSING A TWO-DAY MEETING IN VANCOUVER, TENTATIVELY DURING THE WEEK BEGINNING 10 JANUARY 1994. THE MEETING WOULD BE AT 'WORKING LEVEL' (I.E. COUNSELLOR OR EQUIVALENT). INVITATIONS ARE APPARENTLY BEING ISSUED IN CAPITALS TO THE UK, THE US, AUSTRALIA, AND JAPAN, AS WELL AS TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.

3.

THE CANADIANS HAVE SUGGESTED (WITH AN INVITATION TO ADD FURTHER ITEMS) THE FOLLOWING THEMES FOR DISCUSSION:

POLITICAL:

SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG UP TO 1997;

ROLE OF CONSULATES POST-1997;

RELATIONS WITH CHINA, PARTICULARLY SOUTH CHINA; ACCREDITATION.

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PAGE CONFIDENTIAL