DARI KE
CONFIDENTIAL
BRIEFING FOR BACKBENCH CONSERVATIVE MPS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE
POINTS TO MAKE
1. Stress confidentiality.
2. Recall Prime Minister's visit to Peking, September 1982.
Agreement on meetings through diplomatic channel. Common aim
of maintaining stability and prosperity.
3.
Several meetings have taken place between Sir P Cradock
and Chinese MFA. Meetings continuing but limited so far to
procedural matters because of Chinese insistence on premise of
recognition of sovereignty.
4.
Sovereignty key point. We are not inflexible.
clear to Chinese that sovereignty not in her gift.
PM has made
Subject to
Parliament's decision. But sure that if satisfactory arrangements
could
for Hong Kong's administration can be agreed, recommendations
would be put to Parliament on the sovereignty question.
5. Problem of achieving satisfactory practical arrangements.
Main objective to retain Hong Kong's freedom and way of life.
Continuation of present system would be best way of achieving this.
Key lies not in 'British administration''
1
in colonial sense but
in link with London as guarantee against interference by Peking.
Chinese propaganda. Floating idea of autonomous Hong Kong.
6.
Special Administrative Region of China, linked to Peking but
with assurances of non-interference after 1997. Hong Kong people
very sceptical of value of these assurances.
7.
Many important practical aspects. Problem of maintaining
credible independent currency. Legal system. Freedom of press.
No advantage in overt propaganda confrontation with Chinese.
8.
CONFIDENTIAL
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