Cons shall ser
перера
が
SPS 1100
RESTRICTED
RESTRICMED
FM HONG KONG 291300Z JUL 93
MKK040/2.
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY'
AUG 1983
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1105 OF 29 JULY 1983
DESK OFFICEA
INDEX
HEGISTRY
PA
CM1218
ра
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON,
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, BRUSSELS
AND GENEVA
TOP COPY
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE.
BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE LANGUAGE NEWSPAPERS (COMMUNIST INCLUDED)
REPORTED COMMENTS MADE BY LORD CHALFONT ON HIS DEPARTURE FROM
HONG KONG YESTERDAY EVENING. ACCORDING TO THESE REPORTS LORD
CHALFONT'S PERSONAL VIEW WAS THAT AN QUOTE OUTLINE AGREEMENT UNQUOTE
ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG COULD BE EXPECTED BY THE END OF THE
YEAR. A BRITISH CONCESSION ON SOVEREIGNTY AND CHINESE CONCESSIONS
ON ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE THE MOST LIKELY PATH TO AGREEMENT.
HE WAS ALSOW QUOTED AS SAYING THAT BRITISH FORCES WOULD EVENTUALLY HAVE TO LEAVE.
2. SEVERAL NEWSPAPERS REPORTED REMARKS MADE BY BROOK BERNACHI
(URBAN COUNCILLOR AND CHAIRMAN OF THE REFORM CLUB) AT A LUNCHEON
MEETING YESTERDAY. BERNACHI URGED THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO
DECLARE THAT HONG KONG WOULD NO LONGER BE A COLONY AFTER 1997 AND
TO RECOGNISE CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE TERRITORY. HONG KONG
SHOULD BE TURNED INTO AN ADMINISTRATIVE REGION WHERE THE EXISTING
SYSTEMS WOULD BE MAINTAINED.
3. THE INDEPENDENT ECONOMIC JOURNAL CARRIED AN EDITORIAL ON THE
POSSIBLE VISIT TO LONDON IN SEPTEMBER BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR
ALLEN LEE'S GROUP OF YOUNG PROFESSIONALS. THE PAPER HOPED THAT LEE
WOULD PERSUADE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT NOT TO ADHERE TO CLOSELY TO
THE TREATIES BY WITHDRAING FROM HONG KONG IN 1997. A LONGER
TRANSITIONAL PERIOD WITH CONTINUED BRITISH PRESENCE WAS NECESSARY.
CHINA'S QUOTE SELF-RULE UNQUOTE PROPOSAL ALONE COULD NOT
GURANTEE AN INDEPENDENCE FROM PEKING'S INFLUENCE.
4. THE MAIN STORY GIVEN PROMINENT COVERAGE IN THE COMMUNIST PRESS WAS A STATEMENT ISSUED BY A DELEGATION OF THE HONG KONG FEDERATION OF STUDENTS WHO VISITED CHINA FROM 9 TO 23 JULY, QUOTING UNNAMED QUOTE OFFICIALS IN CHARGE OF HONG KONG AFFAIRS UNQUOTE THE STUDENTS SAID THAT THEY WERE TOLD THAT CHINA MUST RECOVER BOTH SOVEREIGNTY AND ADMINISTRATIVE POWER OVER HONG KONG IN 1997. HOWEVER, THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WOULD BE ALLOWED TO DISCUSS AND TAKE PART IN DEVISING THE TERRITORY'S FUTURE SYSTEMS AND IN DRAFTING THE BASIC LAWS WITH REGARD TO HONG KONG AS A REGION. THE DRAFT WOULD THEN BE OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE BEING PASSED BY THE NPC. THE OFFICIALS LISTED TEN SPECIAL POINTS WHICH WOULD APPLY TO HONG KONG AS A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE ZONE. THESE WERE AS FOLLOWS (MOST ARE FAMILIARSUT THEY HAVE ON THIS OCCASION BEEN SPELT OUT WITH GREAT PRECISION AND
IN GREAT DETAIL):
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