Copied to Marshall NAD
CH2015
(33.18
OO WASHINGTON
GRS 446
SECRET
FM FCO 191330Z MAY
TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
TELEGRAM NUMBER 855 OF 19 MAY
SECRET
Лед ра осор
HKK090/1
REGNIDHI RES.STRY NC. 51 3 1 MAY 1983
ZELAK
DESK OFACI
INDEX
964 - 1
λ
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
|CM3115
PERSONAL FOR DEREK THOMAS FROM CLIFT
TELECON GOMERSALL/COX REFERS: YOUR LUNCH WITH JI JAOTSU
1.
WE HAVE NO PARTICULAR POINTS WHICH WE SHOULD LIKE YOU TO
RAISE WITH MINISTER JI BUT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING.
2.
OUR TALKS WITH THE CHINESE THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS IN
PEKING HAVE BEEN CONTINUING SINCE OCTOBER BUT HAVE SO FAR BEEN
ABOUT PRELIMINARIES ONLY. THE DIFFICULTY HAS BEEN THE CHINESE
LINE THAT WE SHOULD FIRST RECOGNISE THEIR SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE
WHOLE TERRITORY. IN AN EFFORT TO GET ROUND THIS AND TO MOVE ON
TO SUBSTANCE THERE HAS RECENTLY BEEN AN EXCHANGE OF MESSAGES
BETWEEN THE PRIME MINISTER AND PREMIER ZHAO. IN HER LETTER THE
PRIME MINISTER MADE IT CLEAR THAT OUR POSITION ON SOVEREIGNTY WAS
NOT INFLEXIBLE PROVIDED THAT PARLIAMENT AND HONG KONG COULD BE
SATISFIED ON PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS. ZHAO'S RESPONS WAS RECEIVED
EARLIER THIS MONTH. IT WAS IN SOME WAYS ENCOURAGING IN THAT THE
CHINESE NOW SEEM TO WANT TO START SUBSTANTIVE TALKS SOON,
ALTHOUGH IT IS CLEAR THAT THEY HAVE NOT BACKED DOWN FROM THEIR
BASIC PREMISE. WHILE OUR POSITION REMAINS UNCHANGED WE HOPE THAT
IT MAY NOW BE POSSIBLE FOR THE SOVEREIGNTY QUESTION TO PUT ASIDE
FOR THE TIME BEING TO ENABLE SUBSTANTIVE TALKS TO TAKE PLACE SOON
ON PRACTICAL MATTERS AND HOW TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S STABILITY
AND PROSPERITY.
3. YOU SHOULD NOT REPEAT NOT RAISE ANY OF THE ABOVE WITH JI
BUT IF HE MENTIONS THE EXCHANGE OF MESSAGES YOU MAY SAY THAT YOU
UNDERSTAND THERE HAD INDEED BEEN SUCH AN EXCHANGE AND THAT YOU
HOPE IT WILL LEAD TO SUBSTANTIVE TALKS STARTING SOON. THE
IMPORTANT POINT IS TO START DETAILED DISCUSSIONS ON HOW TO
MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.
4. IF NECESSARY, OF COURSE, YOU MAY ALSO DRAW ON POINTS WHICH WE HAVE ALREADY PROVIDED, INCLUDING REASONS WHY CHINA'S 'SPECIAL
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