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RECEIVED IN RESINDY NO. 31
17 AUG 1983
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
NO
131218
REGISTRY
Actión Jaken
SECRET
FM FCO 161600Z AUGUST 83
TO ROUTINE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 533 OF 16 AUGUST
INFO HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR ACTING GOVERNOR).
FOR GALSWORTHY FROM DONALD
Mt.
YOUR TELNO 793: MR HEATH'S VISIT
1. SIR PERCY CRADOCK AND I BRIEFED MR HEATH ON 15 AUGUST ON THE
NEGOTIATIONS OVER THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.
2. THE AMBASSADOR DESCRIBED THE MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE PRESENT
POSITION, INCLUDING A NARRATIVE OF EVENTS SINCE MRS THATCHER'S
VISIT IN SEPTEMBER 1982. HE COVERED THE INITIAL CONTACTS BEFORE
THE EXCHANGE OF LETTERS BETWEEN MRS THATCHER AND PREMIER ZHAO,
THE DISCUSSION OVER THE AGENDA AND THE FIRST THREE SESSIONS OF
THE SECOND PHASE OF THE TALKS. HE MADE IT QUITE CLEAR THAT WE
HAD REACHED A CRITICAL POINT IN THE NEGOTIATIONS WHERE ANY SIGN
FROM THE BRITISH SIDE THAT OUR POSITION WAS NOT FIRM WOULD BE
SEIZED UPON BY THE CHINESE AND EXPLOITED. WE IMPRESSED ON MR
HEATH THAT THE CHINESE WOULD ASSUME THAT MR HEATH MIGHT BE USED
TO CONVEY A SIGNAL AND IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT HE SHOULD NOT ALLOW
THE CHINESE TO SENSE THAT OUR POSITION WAS LIKELY TO WEAKEN. WE
URGED ON HIM THAT HE SHOULD MAKE THE POINT TO DENG XIAO-PING THAT
A LINK BETWEEN HONG KONG AND BRITAIN WAS ESSENTIAL FOR CONFIDENCE
3. SIR PERCY ALSO SUGGESTED A FURTHER ARGUMENT FOR USE WITH
DENG IF AN OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED ITSELF, NAMELY THAT FAILURE IN
THE NEGOTIATIONS WOULD HAVE A DAMAGING EFFECT ON CHINESE OOLICY
TOWARDS TAIWAN BUT, CONVERSELY, IF THE NEGOTIATIONS WERE SUCCESS- FUL, IT WOULD HAVE A BENEFICIAL EFFECT ON CHINA'S RELATIONS WITH
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