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Hleve 04011
292
FM HONG KONG 260142Z MAY 82
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 546 OF 26 MAY
INFO PRIORITY PEKING (PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR)
FOR DONALD
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
(286
TOP COPY W/ Afllo
1. AS REPORTED IN PARA 6 OF MY TELNO 543, THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF THE NCNA HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN AN EARLY MEETING. I PROPOSE
TO ASK HIM TO CALL NEXT WEEK.
1983
2. IN VIEW OF THE NATURE OF HIS FAREWELL CONVERSATION WITH MURRAY
MACLEHOSE (THE LATTER'S LETTER OF 13 APRIL TO YOU) WANG KUANG WOULD PROBABLY THINK IT ODD IF I DID NOT REFER TO THE FUTURE. I WOULD OF COURSE DO SO WITH THE CONSTRAINTS SET OUT IN YOUR
TELELETTER OF 17 MAY TO PERCY CRADOCK VERY MUCH IN MIND. I SHOULD
ALSO BE CAREFUL TO AVOID FORCING WANG INTO A CORNER BY ASKING
THE KIND OF QUESTIONS TO WHICH HE WOULD BE BOUND TO GIVE NEGATIVE
AND UNWELCOME REPLIES. (CF PARA 2 OF MY TELNO 543).-
(286
3. PROVIDED YOU AND PERCY CRADOCK SEE NO OBJECTION, I WOULD TRY
TO STEER THE CONVERSATION ALONG THE FOLLOWING LINES
(A) ASK WANG TO REPEAT FOR MY BENEFIT THE EXPLANATION OF DENG'S
STATEMENTS TO MR. HEATH WHICH HE GAVE EARLIER TO MURRAY MACLEHOSE. I WOULD TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT SOME OF THE POINTS
ABOUT HOW HONG KONG WORKS WHICH MURRAY MACLEHOSE MADE THEN, WITHOUT TRESPASSING ON DELICATE GROUND.
(B) EXPLAIN THAT THE CHANGE OF FCO MINISTERS AND THE GOVERNMENT'S
PRE-OCCUPATION WITH THE FALKLANDS CRISIS MAKE IT UNLIKELY THAT THERE WILL BE ANY EARLY RESPONSE TO THE POINTS PUT BY DENG TO MR. HEATH. WE ARE HOWEVER STUDYING CAREFULLY WHAT DENG SAID.
(C) STRESS OUR COMPLETE AGREEMENT WITH ZHAO'S DICTUM THAT NEITHER
SIDE SHOULD DO ANYTHING WHICH MIGHT DAMAGE THE PROSPERITY OF
HONG KONG. IN THAT CONTEXT I WOULD SEEK TO GET ACROSS THE SAME MESSAGE WHICH THE AMBASSADOR WILL BE GIVING TO HUAN XIANG (IF YOU AGREE): THAT TOO MUCH TALK ABOUT CHINESE INTENTIONS FOR HONG KONG AT THIS STAGE IS LIKELY TO HAVE PRECISELY THE EFFECTS
WE BOTH WANT TO AVOID AND REPEAT THE POINT THAT PROPOSALS FOR
THE FUTURE SHOULD 'EMERGE FROM DISCUSSIONS. SINCE MANY OF THE
INVITATIONS WERE CONVEYED THROUGH WANG KUANG, I WOULD ALSO MENTION THE CURRENT SERIES OF VISITS TO PEKING BY PROMINENT
HONG KONG PERSONALITIES (MY TELNO 537) AND ASK WHETHER THESE
ARE PART OF THE PROCESS OF SOUNDING HONG KONG OPINION MENTIONED
BY ZHAO TO MR. ATKINS.
YOUDE
LIMITED
284 THIS TELEGRAM
WAS NOT
ADVANCED
see
#
,03
324
HK&GD FED
MR DONALD
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