:
PP HONG KONG
GRS 185
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
2153 1
-
HKK
020/2
FM FCO 261530Z APR 32
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 288 OF 26 APRIL 1982
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
10
28/4 Pas 284
C9E
No
१)
YOUR TELNOS 354 AND 378 AND PEKING TELNO 228: HONG KONG AND THE FALKLAND ISLANDS.
1. WE FULLY TAKE HONG KONG'S POINTS (HONG KONG TELNO 354) THAT SO FAR AS POSSIBLE WE SHOULD SIMPLY ARGUE THAT THERE IS NO PARALLEL BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE FALKLAND ISLANDS. MINISTERS HAVE AGREED THAT THIS SHOULD BE THE LINE TAKEN BY NEWS DEPART- MENT AND WHEREVER POSSIBLE BY MINISTERS THEMSELVES IN ANSWER TO ENQUIRIES IN PARLIAMENT AND ELSEWHERE. IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT IN THE CASE OF SPECIFIC PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS WE WILL CONSULT YOU.
See (26
2. AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE TO ALLOW FOR THE FACT THAT, PARTICULARLY IN DEBATES ON THE FALKLAND ISLANDS, MINISTERS MAY COME UNDER PRESSURE ON THE IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG IN CIRCUM- STANCES WHERE IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO STICK TO A FLAT DENIAL OF ANY ANALOGY. MINISTERS HAVE THEREFORE AGREED THE LIST OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS IN MIFT FOR USE UNDER PRESSURE. TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE COMMENTS IN TURS.
THESE
PYM
NNNN
See (20
DIST:
COPIES TO:
LIMITED
SIR E YOUDE C/O HKGD K243
HKGD
FED
S AM D
LEGAL ADVISERS
NEWS DEPT
PLANNING STAFF
PS
PS/LORD 3ELSTEAD
PS/PUS
MR DONALD
MR GIFFFARD
CONFIDENTIAL
19