CONFIDENTIAL
FM TOKYO
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 354
OF 200827Z MAY 93
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HONG KONG
PEKING TELNO: 651: JAPAN/CHINA/HONG KONG
SUMMARY
RECEL
D
ра
157
072753
MDLIAN 4283
سال
HKD 01/22575
HICO
2 0 MAY 1993
IN
JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER WILL RAISE HONG KONG IN CONSULTATIONS WITH CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER IN TOKYO ON 29 MAY. EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORT FOR ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL FREEDOM FOR HONG KONG IS NOW AN INTEGRAL PART OF JAPANESE POLICY TOWARDS CHINA.
DETAIL
IN
2.
TUR PROMPTED US TO SEEK AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE THE JAPANESE TO RAISE HONG KONG AT THE JAPAN/CHINA FOREIGN MINISTERIAL CONSULTATIONS ON 29 MAY. WITH THIS IN MIND, FIRST SECRETARY (POLITICAL) CALLED ON 19 MAY ON IZUMI (NEWLY APPOINTED DEPUTY DIRECTOR, CHINA DIVISION, MFA) FOR A PREVIEW OF THE TALKS. RUNNING THROUGH THE PROPOSED AGENDA (REPORTED SEPARATELY) IZUMI VOLUNTEERED THAT JAPAN WOULD BE RAISING HONG KONG. HE SAID THAT JAPAN WOULD REGISTER ITS CONCERNS WITH THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER AND EXPRESS THE IMPORTANCE JAPAN ATTACHED TO THE CONTINUING ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL FREEDOM OF HONG KONG. IT WAS, HE ADDED, OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE THAT JAPAN CONTINUE TO MAKE SUCH COMMENTS TO
WE THE CHINESE, AND THEY WOULD CERTAINLY DO IT ON THIS OCCASION. HANDED OVER A COPY OF THE UNCLASSIFIED BACKGROUND BRIEF ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND OFFERED TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER BACKGROUND THEY NEEDED. HOWEVER, IZUMI SEEMED WELL BRIEFED AND MORE OR LESS REHEARSED OUR OWN LINE ON HONG KONG.
3.
IZUMI COMMENTED THAT THE JAPANESE SINCERELY APPRECIATED COOPERATION WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ON POLICY TOWARDS CHINA PARTICULARLY IN RELATION TO HONG KONG AND HOPED THAT WE COULD DO
MORE TOGETHER.
4. SPEAKING PERSONALLY, IZUMI ADDED HIS OWN HOPE THAT PEKING WOULD WIN IN ITS BID TO HOST THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN 2000. HE THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD HELP ENTRENCH PROGRESS IN CHINA TOWARDS GREATER OPENNESS AND SERVE AS AN INFORMAL GUARANTEE OF GOOD BEHAVIOUR ON A
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