TNAG-2917-FCO40-4192-International-support-from-Australasia-regarding-the-future--1993 — Page 16

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YOUR TELNO 443: HONG KONG: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT....

SUMMARY

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1. Mr Keating will have a bilateral with Jiang Zemin in Seattle: likely to be dominated by discussion of APEC issues. Australians will consider recommending that Mr Keating raise Hong Kong: but no undertakings at this stage. DFAT will also Look at possibility of Senator Evans speaking helpfully to the Chinese in Seattle.

DETAIL

2. Action taken on 12 November with the Acting Head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet's (DPMC) Foreign Affairs Branch (co-ordinating Mr Keating's Seattle briefing) and with the Director of DFAT's Hong Kong and Macau Section. We handed over a speaking note based on TUR.

3. Mungovern (DPMC) confirmed that Mr Keating would have a bilateral in Seattle with Jiang Zemin (he will also have bilaterals with the Singaporean and Taiwanese). He said that our suggested points were consistent with Australian policy on Hong Kong: they hoped for an early end to uncertainty and that Britain and the PRC could reach a solution in an amicable way. Mr Keating's briefing for Seattle already included a note on Hong Kong, making similar points. But this was designed for general use: it had not been drafted specifically for the Jiang Zemin bilateral. He would urgently discuss our approach with the Prime Minister's office: he could give no undertakings at this stage. ALL 3 of Mr Keating's bilaterals would be dominated by discussion of APEC issues which would be aired at the Leaders' Meeting. Time to cover other issues would be severely limited.

4. Blunt reaffirmed our gratitude for Australian support on Hong Kong and said that all concerned would fully understand the importance of a thorough discussion of APEC issues during Mr Keating's bilaterals. Nevertheless, he was sure that there

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