Sir Duff
Covering SECRET
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Y XO.
1 6 MAR 1979
1.
Your minute below to ir Samuel.
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J9.3
9
MAR 1/78 20
2. We have never stated publicly that Hong Kong will one day revert to Chine; nor would we wish to do so, at any rate at this stage. There is a legal difficulty in that long kong Island and certain other areas were ceded to Britain in perpetuity. There is also the political point that any such statement would have a serious affect on confidence unless it were linked with very firm Chinese assurances that the status quo would be maintained for a
very long time. Our public statements have therefore been along the lines that 1997 is a long way off and that it is difficult to forecast what might happen then; and that in the meantime our position on the status of Hong kong is well known.
15 larch 1979
KJT McLaren
Hong Kong and General Department
Covering SECRET