CONFIDENTAL
GPS 140
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 160530Z APR 82
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 354 OF 16 APRIL
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
t
никого р
K
No
196 214.
AF2,
YOURTELNOS 246 AND 247: HONG KONG AND FALKLAND ISLANDS CRISIS.
1. AS SEEN FROM HERE, THE RIGHT LINE TO TAKE IN RESPONDING TO PRESS QUESTIONS OF THE KIND YOU ANTICIPATE IS TO EMPHASISE THAT THERE IS
ABSOLUTELY NO PARALLEL TO BE DRAWN BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE
FALKLAND ISLANDS, AND THAT THE ARGENTINE INVASION AND HMG'S
RESPONSE TO IT THEREFORE HAVE NO (NO) IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG.
IT FOLLOWS THAT QUESTIONS ABOUT HMG'S POLICY TOWARDS HONG KONG, BRITAIN'S RELATIONS WITH CHINA OVER HONG KONG, AND THE EXPIRY OF THE NEW TERRITORIES LEASE SHOULD BE ANSWERED ON STANDARD LINES.
2. QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER SOVEREIGNTY IS NEGOTIABLE, WHETHER BRITAIN WOULD DEFEND HONG KONG MILITARILY AGAINST EXTERNAL AGGRESSIO
AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS IN AN EMERGENCY
CAN SURELY BE DISMISSED AS PURELY HYPOTHETICAL: THEY SIMPLY DO NOT
ARISE AT PRESENT.
3. WE SHOULD PREFER TO SUGGEST REPLIES TO PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
AS AND WHEN THEY ARE ASKED.
See
۱۹
126
MACLEHOSE
LIMITED
HKGD
FED
SAMD
MVD
LEGAL
ADVISERS
PARLIAMENTARY cenit
NEWS D
PS
PS/MR ONSLOW
PS/LORD BEL STEAD
PS/PUS
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD
COPIES
SIR E
ejo
YOUDE
HD! HRGD
CONFIDENTIAL
THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED
Noted
BU 2194
16/4
الله