SECRET
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HAR04011
GRS 492
1
SECRET
FM FCO 151020Z APR 82
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 254 OF 15 APRIL
INFO PEKING
NO. 51
ESK OFFE
INDEX
(192
NO
che
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM YOUDE
FOR
194
130/4 | Pan:
Pin Joly
3
YOUR TELNO 328 AND PEKING TELNO 209: FUTURE OF HONG KONG
1.
A RECOMMENDATION IS BEING PUT TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE THAT
HE SHOULD SEE MR HEATH AND IT MAY BE POSSIBLE FOR ME TO BE PRES-
ENT.
See 200
210
HKK 02/11
что,
2. ON MY READING OF THE INTERVIEW WITH TENG I AGREE THAT THIS IS
THE MOST SPECIFIC ACCOUNT OF CHINESE VIEWS SO FAR AND IT MAY BE
THAT WE HAVE BEEN SENT A MESSAGE. BUT IN ESSENCE WHAT TENG HAS
PUT FORWARD IS STILL THE TAIWAN SOLUTION'. I WOULD NOT HAVE
EXPECTED HIM TO GO BEYOND THIS. NO CHINESE LEADER COULD TAKE
THE INITIATIVE IN SUGGESTING A CONTINUATION OF BRITISH ADMINIS-
TRATION WITHOUT SEVERE POLITICAL RISK TO HIS POSITION DOMESTICALLY,
PARTICULARLY AT A TIME WHEN CHINA IS INVOLVED IN A PUBLIC DISPUTE
WITH THE US OVER TAIWAN (WASHINGTON TELNO 1065).
3. IF THEREFORE THE REQUIREMENT FOR CONTINUING BRITISH
ADMINISTRATION IS TO BE INTRODUCED INTO THE DISCUSSION, WE SHALL
HAVE TO DO IT IN THE HOPE THAT ACQUIESCING IN OUR REQUIREMENTS
WILL BE MARGINALLY EASIER FOR THE CHINESE THAN PROPOSING IT
THEMSELVES. BUT WE SHALL RISK ANOTHER REBUFF IF WE DO SO:
A) WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO INDICATE TO THE CHINESE A WILLINGNESS
TO DISCUSS THEIR MAIN CONCERN WHICH TENG HAS REITERATED:
SOVEREIGNTY:
B) IN A WAY WHICH MIGHT GIVE THEM THE IMPRESSION THAT WE SHALL
BE SEEKING A SIMPLE EXTENSION OF THE LEASE.(THE 'DUE NOTICE'
PROPOSED IS DESIGNED TO GET ROUND THIS).
4.
FOR THESE REASONS I WOULD ADVISE AGAINST ANY OFFICIAL
RESPONSE TO WHAT TENG SAID UNTIL MINISTERS HAVE DECIDED WHAT OUR
NEGOTIATING LIMITS ARE.
5.
IN CONSEQUENCE, ON PARAGRAPH 5 OF PEKING TELNO 209, I SEE
26
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194
/REAL