HOF0033/19
00 FCO
00 PEKING
GR 300
SECRET
FM HONG KONG 19100OZ AUG 83
TO HIMMED HATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1237 OF 19 AUGUST
INFO HMMEDIATE PEKING
FOR DONALD FROM ACTING GOVERNOR
гоби
(479)
1027/19 De
NO DISTRIBUTION
THI
476
PEKUNG TELNO 807: FUTURE OF HONG KONG
McDonald
HKK040 ||
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
? 3 AUG 1983
DLSK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
ACCEPTABILITY OF PROPOSALS TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG
REGISTRY
Action Taken
Un
OBVIOUSLY, YOU WILL WISH TO CONSULT THE GOVERNOR, BUT DO NOT THINK THE GENERAL THRUST OF THE COMMENTS IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE IS ENTIRELY FAIR. FIRST, INEVITABLY, EXCO (PARTICULARLY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS) WILL FEEL BOUND TO CONSIDER
(REPEAT CONSH DER) CONFRONTATION RATHER THAN SURRENDER AND WE CAN
EXPECT THEM TO CONSIDER SUCH A COURSE FROM TIME TO TIME AS THE
SECENARIO UNFOLDS. SECONDLY, THE FACT THAT UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS
HAVE LOOKED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF THE CEDED TERRITORIES ALONE
REMAINING UNDER BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY AND CONTROL AFTER 1997 SHOULD
NOT BE HELD AGAINST THEM. THEY WERE BOUND TO LOOK AT THIS
POSSIBILITY QUOTE SERIOUSLY UNQUOTE AND INDEED WE ENCOURAGED THEM
TO DO SO. BUT APART FROM A RESDUAL FEELING THAT PERHAPS THE
DIFFERENT STATUS IN INTERNATIONAL LAW OF THE CEDED TERRITORIES
HS A CARD TO BE PLAYED, SOMEHOW, UNOFFICIALS DO NOT SEE THE
SEPARATION OF THE CEDED TERRITORIES FROM THE REST AS BEING EITHER
A PRACTICAL PROPOSITION OR FEASHBLE POLITICALLY. THIRDLY, ANY DISPOSITION OF THE PART OF EXCO TO BE RATHER LESS QUOTE REALISTIC
AND FLEXIBLE UNQUOTE THAN PERHAPS WE MIGHT WISH HAS BEEN (AND WILL
CONTINUE TO BE) DUE TO A DEEP SEATED SENSE OF ANXIETY, PARTICULARLY
ON THE PART OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WHO ARE CONSCIOUS OF THEIR
QUOTE HISTORIC UNQUOTE RESPONSIBILITIES (h.E. THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES,
AS UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF XCO AT THIS TIME, TO STICK TO SUCH AN ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION).
2. IF THE THIRD SENTENCE OF PARAGRAPH 6 OF THE PAPER IS TO BE
AMENDED, THEREFORE, H: SUGGEST IT SHOULD READ:
QUOTE THIS ARRANGEMENT HAS WORKED WELL AND, DESPITE THEIR ANXIETIES, XCO HAVE SHOWN THEMSELVES TO BE REALISTIC AND FLEXIBLE UNQUOTE.
HADDON-CAVE
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