Mr Cornish
also. HICK
аво
Planning Staff
HKK acol
4 MAY 1979
18
SECRET
INDER
TA
по no 83.71
DECISIONS FOR SECRETARY OF STATE AFTER THE ELECTIONS
1.
Your minute of 26 April: the only subject of concern to this department on which a decision may be necessary before the end of May is:
2.
Hong Kong: Land Leases in the New Territories
During his visit to Peking in March, the Governor of Hong Kong put to the Chinese Government our proposals for solving the difficulty arising from the increasingly short span of land leases in the New Territories, all of which are at present due to end in 1997 when Britain's 99-year lease on the New Territories expires. A substantive Chinese response is still awaited: depending on what that response is, it may be necessary for Ministers to take a rapid decision on our reaction.
The department's assessment is that it is, in fact, unlikely that a decision on this will be needed within the timescale you envisage.
27 April 1979
CC
PS/PUS
Mr Cortazzi Mr Murray
SECRET
W.E. Chantill
WE Quantrill
Hong Kong and General Dept