147
TOP COPY
SECRET
GR 300
SECRET
FM HONG KONG 130756Z AUG 82
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
INFO PRIORITY PEKING (PERSONAL FOR CHARGE D'AFFAIRES)
TELEGRAM NUMBER 872 OF 13 AUGUST
35
FOLLOWING FOR DONALD FROM GOVERNOR
PEKING TELNO 432 : PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT
HAR040/1
419
НКК ого
NECTA ID IN 2001
16 AUG 1982
THINGS HAVE MOVED A LONG WAY SINCE OUR EXCHANGE OF TELEGRAMS IN JUNE (PARA 1 OF PEKING TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE). INTEREST AND CONCERN IN HONG KONG ABOUT THE FUTURE AND ABOUT THE PRIME MINISTER'S TALKS HAS MUCH INTENSIFIED AND THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE DEGREE OF AGITATION IN PUBLIC OPINION HERE ON THE ISSUE. WHILE THEREFORE WE CAN CONTINUE TO DISCOURAGE OVER-OPTIMISTIC EXPECTATIONS ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THE TALKS WE MUST IN NO WAY PLAY DOWN THEIR IMPORTANCE. PEOPLE HERE SEE THEIR FUTURE AT STAKE AND THEY WOULD NOT TAKE KINDLY TO A SUGGESTION THAT OTHER ISSUES ON THE AGENDA ARE AS IMPORTANT. AS FAR AS HONG KONG IS CONCERNED, WHATEVER THE OUTCOME AND EVEN IF THE TALKS WILL ONLY BE THE FIRST STEP, THEY ARE SEEN AS CRUCIAL TO THE FUTURE OF THE TERRITORY AND WE SHALL COME UNDER STRONG CRITICISM IF WE APPEAR TO REGARD THEM AS ANYTHING LESS.
2. THE SECOND DEVELOPMENT IS THE EMERGENCE OF THE STRONGLY EXPRESSED DEMAND THAT HONG KONG SHOULD HAVE A DIRECT SAY IN ITS OWN FUTURE. IT WAS THIS WHICH LAY BEHIND THE CALL THAT I SHOULD GO TO LONDON TO CONVEY THE VIEWS OF THE UNOFFICIALS TO THE PRIME MINISTER (MY -TELNO 748 NOT TO PEKING). IT IS REFLECTED AGAIN IN THE STRONGLY
EXPRESSED VIEW OF UNOFFICIALS THAT AS GOVERNOR I SHOULD BE THERE TO REPRESENT THEM WHEN THE TALKS TAKE PLACE. IT IS NOW POLITICALLY ESSENTIAL HERE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE VIEWS OF HONG KONG ARE BEING TAKEN FULLY INTO ACCOUNT. NOR SHOULD WE IN ANY CASE APPEAR TO TREAT LIGHTLY THE ADVICE GIVEN BY UNOFFICIALS WHICH IT IS THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO OFFER AND OURS TO TAKE SERIOUSLY.
3. THEY HAVE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE POSSIBLE IMPACT ON EXPECTATIONS OF MY PRESENCE IN PEKING BUT HAVE CLEARLY CONCLUDED THAT THIS IS OVERRIDDEN BY THE CONSIDERATIONS I HAVE SET OUT ABOVE. MY RECOMMENDATION MUST THEREFORE REMAIN THAT I SHOULD MYSELF JOIN THE P.M.'S PARTY FOR THE PEKING VISIT.
YOUDE
LIMITED
HD/HKNGD HD FED
PS
PS/LORD BELS TEAD
PS/PUS
SiR J. BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD
بچ
Pen 7/7
200 (151
Tel to H.K. at 149
THIS TELEGRAM
WAS NOT
ADVANCED
SECRET
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