H115026/17
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INDEX
GRS 210
RESTRICTED
24 SEPIOPO
SK OFFICER
RESTRICTED
25.9.
FROM UKMIS NEW YORK 212206Z SEPT 80
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 8 DATED 21 SEPTEMBER BØ
INFO PRIORITY F C O
FOLLOWING FROM HEAD OF NEWS DEPARTMENT IN NEW YORK
YOUR TELNOS 1216 AND 1219: SECRETARY OF STATES VISIT
TO CHINA: PRESS
1. FCO SPOKESMAN HAS NOT SAID, EVEN UNATTRIBUTABLY, THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATES TALKS IN PEKING WILL INCLUDE QUOTE LONG TERM FUTURE OF HONG KONG UNQUOTE. AT OUR CURTAIN RAISER BRIEFING ON FRIDAY 19 SEPTEMBER THIS ASPECT WAS NOT EVEN MENTIONED.
2. I HAVE ASKED CO1 TO ISSUE A CORRECTION TO THEIR LPS PIECE. 3. IN TALKING TO THE PRESS HERE WE SHALL TAKE THE LINE IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF FCO TELNO 809 TO HONG KONG. WE SHALL NOT OF COURSE DENY THAT HONG KONG WILL BE DISCUSSED IN PEKING: IT IS AFTER ALL A SUBJECT OF DIRECT INTEREST TO BOTH GOVERNMENTS. BUT WE SHALL CONTINUE TO DISCOURAGE ANY IDEA THAT THE LONG TERM FUTURE OF HONG KONG WILL ITSELF BE A SUBJECT UNDER DISCUSSION BY CONCENTRATING ON THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS OF IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEES. THE IDEA OF QUOTE SECRET TALKS UN QUOTE WE SHALL DISMISS AS MERELY SILLY.
PARSONS
LIMITED
HKrq D FED
01D
NEWS D PS
PS/LPS PS/MR BLAKER
PS/PUS
SIR E. YOUDE
+
MR DONALD
COPIES
то
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
THIS TELEGRAM
WAS NOT ADVANCED
RESTRICTED
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