37
GR 150
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 250257Z JAN 83
RESTRICTED
TOP COPY
никочос
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 127 OF 25 JANUARY
RECEIVED
Y NO. $1
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
24 JAN1983
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON,
DESK
INDEX
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE
си
26
THE TA KUNG PAO (COMMUNIST) ON 22 JANUARY PUBLISHED A COMMENTARY ASSERTING THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WAS HOLDING UP THE DISCUSSIONS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE. IT REPEATED CHINA'S ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT TO RECOVER SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997 AND SUGGESTED THAT THE BRITISH WERE STILL CHERISHING IMPRACTICAL FANTASIES'', THE ARTICLE CRITICISED LORD BELSTEAD'S REFERENCE TO A THREE LEGGED TABLE AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE LAST DECEMBER AND REPEATED EARLIER CRITICISM OF MR IAN WRIGGLESWORTH MP FOR HIS ASSERTION THAT CONTINUING BRITISH ADMINISTRATION WAS VITAL TO HONG KONG'S WELL
BEING (SEE MY TELNO 78). THE ARTICLE SAID THAT AN ABSOLUTE MAJORITY OF HONG KONG PEOPLE SUPPORTED CHINA'S CLAIM TO SOVEREIGNTY. ANY MISGIVINGS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE RELATED ONLY TO THE DETAIL OF POLICIES FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. THESE WORRIES WERE DISAPPEARING AS A RESULT OF CHINA'S PROPOSAL FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE TO RUN HONG KONG AS A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION. THE ARTICLE CONCLUDED BY SAYING THAT THOSE WHO EXPRESSED GLOOM ABOUT HONG KONG'S PROSPECTS WERE ACTING CONTRARY TO THE INTERESTS
OF HONG KONG PEOPLE AND OF BRITAIN.
2. THIS ARTICLE HAS ATTRACTED SOME ATTENTION IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PRESS, NOTABLY THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. THE ONLY NEW ELEMENT IN IT IS THE DIRECT ATTACK ON LORD BELSTEAD: THERE WAS NO (NO) DIRECT CRITICISM OF HIS REMARKS AT THE TIME BY THE LOCAL
COMMUNIST PRESS.
HADDON-CAVE
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
LIMITED
HD! HKGD
MR DONALD
HD/FED
ED/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
PS
PS/LORD BELSTEAD
PS: MR HURD PS PUS
SIR J. BULLARD
MRSIFFARD
RESTRICTED
COPIES TO
SIR I SINCLAIR
MR ROBERTS
MR COLES
MR MARTIN
LEGAL ADVISER
NEWS D
NO 10 DOWNING STREET
ASSESSMENTS STAFF
CABINET OFFICE
(64)