3. LORD CARRINGTON SAID THAT WE WISHED TO FIND A SOLUTION
TO THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM WHICH DID NOT EMBARRASS THE CHINESE POLITICALLY. THE DIFFICULTY WAS THAT GENERAL ASSURANCES
WERE NOT ENOUGH.
WERE NOT ENOUGH.
IF CONFIDENCE WAS TO BE
IF CONFIDENCE WAS TO BE PRESERVED, SOMETHING WOULD
ULD NEED TO BE DONE ON THE BRITISH SIDE, THOUGH
THIS WOULD, OF COURSE, BE ENTIRELY WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE CHINESE POSITION. PERHAPS THERE COULD BE TALKS WITH CHINESE
OFFICIALS LATER ON.
4. HUANG HUA RECALLED THAT THE UK HAD MADE PROPOSALS IN 1979 AND THAT THE CHINESE HAD THEN MADE THEIR POSITION CLEAR. LORD CARRINGTON EXPLAINED THAT THESE PROPOSALS HAD NOW BEEN DROPPED: THE UK WOULD NOT WISH TO TAKE ANY ACTION WITH WHICH THE CHINESE DISAGREED. HUANG HUA ASKED WHETHER THE BRITISH SIDE HAD ANY OTHER IDEAS. LORD CARRINGTON REPLIED THAT THERE WERE NONE WHICH HE WISHED TO PUT FORWARD NOW. HE HAD SIMPLY WISHED TO CONVEY THE ANXIETY FELT BY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG THAT THERE COULD BE A RAPID LOSS OF CONFIDENCE BY INVESTORS. THIS WOULD BE IN NEITHER BRITAIN'S NOR CHINA'S INTERESTS. THE BEST WAY FORWARD MIGHT BE FOR BOTH SIDES TO REFLECT ON POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS AND THEN DISCUSS THE MATTER
FURTHER.
CRADOCK
STANDARD
HK JG D
FED
2
SECRET