IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT A
FM PEKING 1978257
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 19109AZ (FCO)
CONFIDENTIAL,
REC
IN
2.51
1974
RECI
22 MAR 1974
HICK 3/2/18/10
TOP COPY
ΤΟ IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 188 OF 19 MARCH PEPEATED INFO IMMEDIATE
HONG KONG,
FOR HKIOD
PALIAMENTARY QUESTION
YOUR TELNO 295.
1.
I OFFER THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS.
LAST
REF.
NEXT
REF
2.
YOUR PARA 2B. IT IS TRUE THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAVE
MADE IT CLEAR THAT SETTLEMENT OF THE HONG KONG PROBLEM IS A MATTEP FOR THE FUTURE (CHI PENG-FEI ON 31 OCTOBER 1972). HOWEVER, SO FAR AS WE KNOW, THEY HAVE NOT SAID IN TER'S THAT THEY DO NOT INTEND
TO PAISE THE OVERALL QUESTION FOR A LONG TIME. ONLY THAT THEY
ARE NOT IN A HURRY TO RECOVER THE COLONY (CHI PENG-FEI ON THE SAME
OCCASION) AND THAT THE ISSUE WOULD BE SETTLED BY NEGOTIATION (CHOU EN-LAI TO SIR ALEC DOUGLAS-HOME ON 1 NOVEMBER 1972).
3.
ASSUMING THAT IT IS OUR OBJECTIVE TO AVOID STATEMENTS
WHICH MIGHT OBLIGE THE CHINESE TO TAKE UP A PUBLIC POSITION ON
HONG KONG, I SHOULD PREFER SOMETHING BLANDER, EG "THE CHINESE
AND OURSELVES ARE BROADLY SATISFIED WITH THE WAY IN WHICH WE EACH
REGARD THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG'' (SIR ALEC DOUGLAS-HOME AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG ON 3 NOVEMBER 1972) SEMI COLON
OR ALTERNATIVELY THE CHINESE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY DO NOT
WISH TO RAISE THE OVERALL QUESTION OF HONG KONG AT THE PRESENT
TIME."
CONFIDENTIAL
/4. YOUR
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