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DD 25010OZ HONG KONG
GRS 443
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 2501002
FM FCO 241100Z SEPT
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK
2009/27/20
RECEIVED IN
2 4 SEP 1983
INDEX
TELEGRAM NUMBER 958 OF 24 SEPTEMBER
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING DESKBY 250100Z (PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR/
CHARGE)
83
84
MY TELNOS 940 AND 941: MR LUCE'S PRESS CONFERENCE
1.
FOLLOWING ARE SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS TO A NUMBER OF POINTS
TO TAKE THE PRESENT SITUATION INTO ACCOUNT. REFERENCES ARE TO
SECOND TUR.
(A) PARAGRAPH 3 AND 18 AND 19. COMBINE IN COMPOSITE ANSWER
COVERING CONFIDENTIALITY, BRITISH SILENCE AND CHINESE PROPAGANDA', AS FOLLOWS: 'I QUITE UNDERSTAND WHY THE PEOPLE WOULD
LIKE US TO SAY MORE. I HAVE GIVEN YOU A FULL DESCRIPTION
WE
YOU A FULL DESCRIPTION OF THE BASIS OF THE BRITISH POSITION.
PEOPLE IN HONG KONG NEED TO KNOW THAT. I STILL BELIEVE THAT IT
IS RIGHT THAT THE ACTUAL CONTENT OF THE TALKS SHOULD BE
CONFIDENTIAL. THE NEGOTIATIONS THEMSELVES ARE WHAT MATTER.
MUST NOT PREJUDICE THEM. WE HAVE OF COURSE SEEN A NUMBER OF
REPORTS OF REMARKS BY CHINESE PUBLIC FIGURES OR MEDIA AGENCIES. SOME HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE PRESS, OTHERS TO HONG KONG PEOPLE. I BELIEVE THAT STATEMENTS MADE OUTSIDE THE TALKS, BUT REFERRING DIRECTLY TO THE NEGOTIATING POSITION ON EITHER SIDE, ARE NOT
HELPFUL. THEY ARE TOO EASILY MISUNDERSTOOD AND, AS WE HAVE SEEN,
DAMAGE CONFIDENCE SEVERELY. IT IS OF COURSE HELPFUL IF HONG
KONG PEOPLE MAKE THEIR VIEWS KNOWN ON ANY OF THESE STATEMENTS,
NOT ONLY TO US BUT TO THE CHINESE. (IF ASKED WHETHER WE HAVE
MADE REPRESENTATIONS TO THE CHINESE ABOUT PROPAGANDA).
YES,
WE HAVE TOLD THEM WHY WE THINK THIS IS UNHELPFUL. WE HAVE
EXPLAINED WHY IN OUR VIEW THE ONLY PLACE FOR AN EXCHANGE OF
VIEWS IS THE CONFERENCE TABLE.'
(B) PARAGRAPH 9. ''THE GOVERNOR DESCRIBED HIS VISIT TO PEKING
ON HIS RETURN. THE NEXT ROUND ON 19/20 OCTOBER IS THE EARLIEST
1
CONFIDENTIAL