GRO 255
SECRET
ONG KONG 0308002 JUL 79
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 911 OF 3 JULY
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
SECRET
ا با جهه sae
HKK.040/1
· 3 JUL 1979
14/
IN
MY TELNO 899: DRAFT SPEAKING NOTE ON NEW TERRITORIES LEASES.
1. BECAUSE OF HIS CLOSE INVOLVEMENT, AND BECAUSE OF THE EVENTUAL NEED TO CARRY EXCO WITH US, I HAVE SHOWN THESE SPEAKING NOTES
TO SIR Y K KAN. HIS COMMENTS WERE :
A. THE CHINESE WOULD PRINCIPALLY BE INTERESTED IN THE LAST
SENTENCE OF PARA 5.
B. IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO STRENGTHEN THIS AS FOLLOWS IN DOING SO THE GOVERNOR WOULD NATURALLY MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THESE STEPS WERE PURELY INTENDED TO MEET THE LOCAL LEGAL PROBLEM: THAT THEY WERE WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE CHINESE POSITION ON HONG KONG.
AND THEY WERE NOT INTENDED TO PRE-JUDGE IN ANY WAY WHAT
PARTICULAR COURSE OF ACTION WITH REGARD TO THE FUTURE OF THE TERRITORY MIGHT BE MADE DY EITHER A PRESENT OR FUTURE CHINESE
GOVERNMENT,''
C. WHILE IT WOULD BE A VERY GOOD THING IF THE CHINESE RAISED NO OBJECTION TO THE PACKAGE AND WE COULD GO AHEAD, IT WOULD BE VERY BAD IF THEY OBJECTED AND THIS BECAME KNOWN. HE THOUGHT THEY
COULD BE TRUSTED TO KEEP IT TO THEMSELVES.
D. IF THEY DID RAISE OBJECTIONS IT WOULD PROBABLY BE BETTER
BACK OFF FOR A YEAR OR TWO RATHER THAN FALL BACK ON ACTION
CONFINED TO INTRODUCING INDETERMINATE LEASES. AS A CONVEYANCING LAWYER HE THOUGHT THE LATTER WOULD HAVE LITTLE IMPACT.
2. 1 AGREE WITH THESE COMMENTS AND HOPE IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO INCORPORATE (B).
NACLEHOSE
2
FILCS Horge (W)
FAD
MA MURRAY
MR. RASHFORD LEGALADU)
130