DSR 11 (Revised)
DRAFT:
FROM:
PS/PUS
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION]
Top Secret
Secret
Confidential
Restricted
Unclassified
SECRET
minute/letter/teleletter/despatch/note
DEPARTMENT:
TEL. NO:
TYPE: Draft/Final 1+
Reference
TO:
Separate letters to:
DJ Bowen Esq, Private Secretary to CA Whitmore Esq CVO, Permanent
Under Secretary of State, MOD
Your Reference
Copies to:
J Scopes Esq, Private Secretary to Field Marshal Sir Edwin
Bramall GBC OBE MC, Chief of General Staff, MOD
PRIVACY MARKING
..In Confidence
CAVEAT....
Enclosures-flag(s)........
SUBJECT:
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
Clive Whitmore/Sir Edwin Bramall spoke to Sir Antony
Acland recently about being kept abreast of developments on
the future of Hong Kong. As you know talks began last
October. So far these have been of a preliminary nature
because of China's insistence, contrary to the agreement th
Prime Minister reached with Chinese leaders last September,
that substantive talks can only take place on the premise
that we acknowledge China's sovereignty over the whole of
Hong Kong.
In an attempt to get round this the Prime Minister wrot
to Premier Zhao in March. Our Ambassador in Peking receive
the reply last week and we are at present considering our
response. Strictly for your own personal information I
enclose copies of this exchange. (The Prime Minister's
letter of 10 March and Peking telegram numbers 416 and 439)
As you know, knowledge of this whole subject is being
kept extremely close, on the Prime Minister's instructions.
Only a very small group of officials in the FCO, No 10 and
the Cabinet Office are in the picture. I should therefore
SECRET
/be