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EXEMPTION No...404 411.38, 27(1)
PP HONG KONG
GRS 340
SECRET
FM FCO 140915Z APR 83
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG ·
TELEGRAM NUMBER 352 OF 14 APRIL
SECRET
MKKOTOLI
RECEIVED IN MISIJE NO. 51
19 APR 1983
DESK OFFICER INDEX
INFO PRIORITY PEKING (PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR)
YOUR TELNO 479 AND PEKING TELNO 329
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: POSSIBLE VISIT TO CHINA
1.
REGISTRY
Action Talen
CH2214
1756
1
WE HAVE CONSIDERED YOUR PROPOSALS VERY CAREFULLY IN THE
LIGHT OF THE AMBASSADOR'S COMMENTS. WE FULLY UNDERSTAND THE
NEED TO ALLOW EXCO TO FEEL FULLY INVOLVED AND NOT SQUEEZED OUT OF
CONTACTS WITH THE CHINESE. BUT WE SEE GREAT. FORCE IN THE AMBASSADOR'S ARGUMENTS. WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THESE WOULD
NECESSARILY RULE OUT PARTICIPATION
A
IN THE NEGOTIATIONS, AT SOME STAGE. BUT WE DO THINK
THAT FOR HIM TO TAKE PART IN THE INITIAL STAGES COULD WELL REDUCE-
THE CHANCES OF THE CHINESE ADOPTING A FLEXIBLE ATTITUDE AND MIGHT
REDUCE OUR OWN POWER OF MANOEUVRE AT A CRITICAL POINT. WE ACCEPT
THAT THIS IS NOT A NORMAL BILATERAL NEGOTIATION, IN THE SENSE THAT
HONG KONG PEOPLE MUST BE SEEN TO BE INVOLVED. BUT IT WOULD BE
RIGHT TO WAIT AND SEE EXACTLY HOW THE NEGOTIATIONS GO BEFORE
COMMITTING OURSELVES ON THIS POINT. IP IN DUE COURSE WE WERE
MAKING HEADWAY, IT MIGHT INDEED BE HELPFUL TO BRING THE UNOFFIC—
IALS IN, IN ORDER TO INVOLVE HONG KONG'S REPRESENTATIVES IN AN
EVENTUAL SETTLEMENT.
2.
OF THE ALTERNATIVES WE AGREE THAT YOUR 2(C) WOULD NOT BE
APPROPRIATE AT PRESENT. WE AGREE THAT A VISIT BY
ON HIS
OWN COULD BE USEFUL, PROVIDED IT WAS MADE CLEAR, AS YOU PROPOSE,
THAT HE WAS NOT GOING IN ANY NEGOTIATING CAPACITY. WE WOULD
RELY ON YOUR ADVICE FOR THE BEST TIMING OF THIS. GIVEN THAT
HIS PURPOSE WOULD BE AS YOU HAVE DESCRIBED, THERE MIGHT WELL BE
ADVANTAGE IN GETTING A VISIT IN SOON, IN ORDER TO SHOW EXCO RIGHT
AWAY THAT THEY ARE NOT EXCLUDED FROM THE PROCESS OF EDUCATING
(545)
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