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FM HONG KONG 111031Z MAY 79
Akcouoli
INDEX
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TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO.566 OF 11 MAY,
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING,
PEKING TEL NO.423: FUTURE OF HONG KONG.
TA MAY 1979
Jw.5
See aut
Last
NO. 51
RECBTAY
Taken
1 I AGREE THAT SUNG'S REMARKS AND THE AMBASSADOR'S DISCUSSION
轉
WITH HIM PROVIDE A USEFUL OPENING FOR CLARIFYING WITH WEST
EUROPEAN DEPARTMENT WHAT WE INTEND. THE MFA'S PROMISE TO
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PROVIDE AN EXPLANATION'' IS AN ADDED ARGUMENT FOR MAKING OUR POSITION CLEAR BEFORE THE CHINESE GO FIRM ON THEIR OWN VIEWS.
2. MY TELNO.519 SET CUT THE THREE ALTERNATIVE COURSES NOW OPEN TO US. WE AWAIT YOUR VIEWS ON WHICH YOU THINK BEST. THIS NEED NOT, HOWEVER, PREVENT US FROM SPEAKING FURTHER TO THE CHINESE AS SUGGESTED BY PEKING, AT THIS STAGE WE CAN LIMIT OURSELVES TO
LAND LEASES WITHOUT GOING ON TO TALK ABOUT CONTINUING POWERS OF
ADMINISTRATION.
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3. I SUGGEST THAT THE EMBASSY SHOULD SPEAK TO CUI ON THE FOLLOWING
LINES: WE AGREE THAT THERE IS NO HURRY ABOUT DEALING WITH THE LONG TERM FUTURE OF HONG KONG. AS THE GOVERNOR SAID TO DENG THIS IS A MATTER TO BE SETTLED BETWEEN THE CPG AND HMG. AS HE ALSO EXPLAINED, HOWEVER, THERE IS A SHORT TERM PROBLEM ABOUT LAND LEASES WHICH MUST BE TACKLED SOON IF INVESTMENT IS TO CONTINUE UNABATED. WE INTEND THEREFORE TO TAKE THE NECESSARY LEGISLATIVE STEPS TO ELIMINATE THE DATE FROM EXISTING LAND LEASES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND TO SUBSTITUTE A MORE INDEFINITE
FORM OF WORDS. THIS HAS TO BE DONE BY LEGISLATION SINCE THERE IS AT PRESENT NO LEGAL CONCEPT OF A LEASE WITHOUT A FIXED DATE. IT IS ALSO NECESSARY BECAUSE THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL LEASES WHICH MUST BE ALTERED BY A BLANKET PROVISION. OUR PRESENT
INTENTION IS TO TAKE THIS ACTION WHEN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL RESUMES IN OCTOBER. IN ANNOUNCING THIS LEGISLATION WE WOULD MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE EFFECT WAS PURELY PERMISSIVE ON THE BRITISH
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