CONFIDENTAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING 0353635Z APR 32
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER U/N OF 3 APRIL
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR)
~~~
YOUR TELS NOS 136 AND 146.
HEREWITH REPEAT OF MY TELNO 164
Hren
040/1
M
TO IPRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 154 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. (MR WHITNEY HAD STUDIED THE STRANSCRIPT OF MR ATKINS' PRESS CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG IN JANUARY. I ADVISED AGAINST RAISING THIS WITH THE CHINESE, BUT
THEY WERE DETERMINED TO DO SO.
Pam 7/4
See
7
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.
I STRONGLY ADVISED THEM AGAINST MENTIONING THIS ASPECT PUBLICLY.
THEY WERE CO-OPERATIVE.
4. THE DELEGATION ARRIVES IN HONG KONG ON 23 MARCH.
CRADOCK
LIMITED
HRGO (4)
FED
Pecu
NEWS D
PS/LPS ps/pus MR GIFFARO MR DONALD
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