HKK 040/1
RECENTED IN PAYTRE NO. 51
199
GR 240
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING 14037AZ APR 32
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELNO 221 OF 14 APRIL.
CONFIDENTIAL
YOUR TELNOS 136, 145 AND 161:
过
JR
INDEX
Twe
Aflo
OUR TELNO 164 WAS REPEATED TO YOU AND HONG KONG UNNUMBERED ON
5 APRIL. HOWEVER, HEREWITH A FURTHER REPEAT:
"TO IPRIORITY FCO
180
180
TELEGRAM NUMBER 164 ́OF 17 MARCH
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR)
BRITISH PARLIAMENTARIANS' VISIT TO PEKING: FUTURE OF HONG KONG
1. AT THE BRIEFING I GAVE FOR THE BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY VISITORS ON 13 MARCH, THEY ASKED ABOUT HONG KONG. ('R WHITNEY HAD STUDIED THE STRANSCRIPT OF MR ATKINS' PRESS CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG IN
JANUARY.) | ADVISED AGAINST RAISING THIS WITH THE CHINESE, BUT
THEY WERE DETERMINED TO DO SO.
2. IT WAS THEREFORE AGREED THAT THE BEST APPROACH WOULD BE BRIEFLY
TO REMIND THE CHINESE OF THE NEED FOR AN EARLY SOLUTION. THE
DELEGATION'S LEADER, MR DU CANN, SPOKE IN THESE TERMS TO VICE
PREMIER YAO YILIN ON 13 MARCH. HE SAID IT WOULD BE GOOD IF TALKS
BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA WERE HELD IN VERY GOOD TIME SINCE ''A
STITCH IN TIME SAVED NINE''. YAO DID NOT RESPOND AUDIBLY. WHEN
ASKED ABOUT HONG KONG AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE ON 15 MARCH, IN
AN OFF THE RECORD BRIEFING, DU CANN TOLD THE JOURNALISTS WHAT
HE HAD SAID TO YAO.
3. THE DELEGATION ARE AWARE THAT THE CHINESE HAVE INDICATED (IN INTERVIEWS CARRIED IN THE PRESS) THE IMPORTANCE OF SOVEREIGNTY.
| STRONGLY ADVISED THEM AGAINST MENTIONING THIS ASPECT PUBLICLY.
THEY WERE CO-OPERATIVE.
4. THE DELEGATION ARRIVES IN HONG KONG ON 23 MARCH.
CRADOCK
LIMITED HK&GD
COPIES TO:.
FS/NO 10 DOWNING ST.
FED
FARLY UNIT
PS
FS/LFS
PS/FUS
MR GIFFARD MR DONALD
CONFIDENTIAL
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