TNAG-2916-FCO40-4191-International-support-from-European-countries-regarding-the--1993 — Page 4

Ms Harper WED

ния 0211+

RECEIVE IN DE

4 JAN 1994

INDEA

I

4STRY

195

Reference...

ANGLO-GERMAN SUMMIT:

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

1. We spoke about your minute of 21 December.

2. Since then, I understand that SEAD have advised against including their region in the scope of a joint HOMC, on the grounds that our commercial rivalry there makes it inappropriate. We would also have doubts about a Conference focusing exclusively on China. We would prefer to continue to discuss China with the Germans in the forum established by Sir J Coles's talks at Chevening in October, which is also convenient for briefing them on developments over Hong Kong. It would also seem a little odd to bring two Heads of Mission back from Peking for discussions in Germany, when they presumably meet frequently where they are. Lastly, the commercial rivalry point applies to China too.

3. For these reasons, we would not see a meeting of this kind as meeting our departmental objectives, and would not consider it an appropriate use for our resources.

4. I mentioned one other point, related to timing. Having had an Asia Heads of Mission Conference of our own this year, we are not bidding to Planners for another next year. But we will be looking to hold one in the following financial year, which you said was likely, for German electoral reasons, to be the earliest time for a joint HOMC. We would not want the latter to get in the way of the former.

Monairer

JCW Kidd

Far Eastern Department

4/ Yes

MS BJ I don't recall seine Original minute M. hoodrat seena servibl.

he awave

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lut Supp (Europe).

30/12

ہیں

WH245

270 3725

30 December 1993

CC:

Mr Ricketts, HKD Ms Robson, SEAD

fed17/jointhomc29.12

CODE

018-0077