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THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RETAINED IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER
FM PEKING 105813Z MAY 79
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
SECTION 3 (4) OF THE that ovals. PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1968
TELEGRAM NUMBER 423 OF 10 MAY 79
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
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SAVED IN SEGR VAY NO. 51 17 MAY 1979
INDE
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See (3) (94)
HONG KONG TELS NOS 548 AND 549: FUTURE OF HONG KONG
1. WE TELEPHONED MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ON 9 MAY
FOR THE TEXT OF SONG'S REMARKS. I FELT IT BETTER TO HAVE THIS
DEFORE GOING ANY FURTHER.
2. HOWEVER, I FOUND MYSELF SITTING BESIDE SONG AT A RECEPTION ON 9 MAY. HE TOLD ME HIS ACCOMPANYING GEN BIAO
ON HIS SCANDINAVIAN TOUR AND WILL BE AWAY FROM PEKING FOR
ABOUT A MONTH BEGINNING 12 MAY. I THEREFORE MENTIONED THE
AFP REPORT AND SAID WE WERE SEEKING THE ACTUAL TEXT FROM THE
FOREIGN MINISTRY. SONG SAID THERE WAS NO TEXT ( 1 ASSUME THIS TO MEAN HE SPOKE UNBRIEFED). HE HAD SIMPLY SAID THAT
THERE WAS PLENTY OF TIME LEFT TO SOLVE THE HONG KONG
QUESTION AND SECONDLY THAT INVESTORS NEED NOT WORRY.
3. I SAID THAT, AS THE GOVERNOR HAD EXPLAINED, WE FELT THAT TIME WAS SHORT IN THAT ONE PARTICULAR ADJUSTMENT
NEEDED TO BE MADE NOW IF CONFIDENCE WAS TO BE MAINTAINED.
SONG SAID THAT HE THOUGHT DENG HAD BEEN REASSURING ON THAT POINT.
4. I SAID I DID NOT WISH TO TAKE THE MATTER FURTHER AT THAT STAGE (THE OCCASION WAS NOT SUITABLE AND WE HAD NO INTERPRETER) BUT WE ON OUR SIDE WERE BEING CAREFUL TO
SAY AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE ON THE SUBJECT OF HONG KONG.
IT WOULD BE EASY TO SAY SOMETHING DAMAGING TO CONFIDENCE.
SONG TOOK THIS POINT AND SEEMED A LITTLE SHAMEFACED. BUT
HE CLEARLY FELT THAT HIS REMARKS HAD BEEN HARMLESS. THIS
SUGGESTS NO ILLWILL BUT SOME CONFUSION ON THE CHINESE SIDE.
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