TNAG-2917-FCO40-4192-International-support-from-Australasia-regarding-the-future--1993 — Page 96

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA

TELNO 185

OF 091721Z JUNE 93

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

CONFIDE

ozits HICD 021/5

RE

10 JUN 1993

pa

(6)

144653

MDHOAN 4065

but support.

TOP COPY Q DIST?

YOUR TELNO 279: BRIEFING ON HONG KONG ISSUES FOR MR KEATING'S

VISIT TO CHINA

·

1 As noted in your TUR, it was agreed during the UK/Australia talks on 11 May that we would let the Australians have some

points which we would find useful for Mr Keating to make when he visits China Later this month.

2. Subject to any views from Hong Kong, grateful if you could give the Australians the following list of points for them to draw on in briefing Keating:

-

Negotiations over Hong Kong's future are a matter between Hong Kong and China. But Australia,

But Australia, as a major investor in and commercial partner of Hong Kong, has a self-evident interest in Hong Kong's continuing stability and prosperity.

—

- The ''one country two systems'' approach as set out in the Joint Declaration is of great importance in sustaining

international confidence in Hong Kong. Crucial that it should be

fully implemented.

- Australia is therefore glad that talks are taking place between Britain and China and hopes that they will be brought to an early and successful conclusion. A modest development of democracy would meet the clear wishes of the Hong Kong people and is good for international confidence in Hong Kong.

3. If the Australians also wished to prod the Chinese over bilateral HK/Australian agreements still held up in the JLG (perhaps in the margins of the visit), that would also be useful. The most obvious examples are the Air Services Agreement (held up for 19 months so far) and the Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (held up for more than a year Longer than it took to negotiate).