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CONFIDENTIAL

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MKK04012

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RECEIVED IN EROSTA: KO. 51 19 JUL 1983

DESK OF INDEX

GRS 170

CONFIDENTIAL

FROM PEKING 121025Z JUL 33

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 71 OF 12/7/83

FOR MARGOLIS FROM I

INKSTER

YOUR TEL NO : 348 PRESS COVERAGE OF THE TALKS.

(134)

1. DIRECTOR OF MFAS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT MENTIONED

THE HONG KONG TALKS DURING HIS WEEKLY BRIEFING FOR FOREIGN JOURNALISTS ON 12 JULY. A MEMBER OF THE BRITISH EBMASSY ATTENDED BUT DID NOT SPEAK.

2. THE MAIN POINTS OF QI'S STATEMENT WERE:

(A) A RECENT ASIA WEEK ARTICLE TO THE EFFECT THAT CHINA

WOULD AMEND ITS CONSITUTITION TO PERMIT HONG KONG

TO RETAIN A CAPITALIST SYSTEM WAS INCORRECT.

CHINA WOULD ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STATEMENT ON HONG KONG CONTAINED IN ZHAO ZIYANG'S WORK REPORT TO THE NPC

(OUR TEL NO 538 OF 8 JUNE REFERS)

(B) THE FIRST ROUND OF TALKS HAD BGUN AT 0900 AM ON

12 JULY AND WOULD LAST TWO DAYS. DATES FOR THE NEXT ROUND

WERE THE SUBJECT OF CONSULTATON:

(C) NEWS BRIEFINGS AFTER THIS AND SUBSEQUENT ROUNDS WOULD BE HELD QUOTE IN THE LIGHT OF CIRCUMSTANCES UNQUOTE.

A FURTHER BRIEFING WOULD BE HELD AT 1100 AM ON 13 JULY IN THE PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION FOR FRIENDSHIP WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES (IE NEXT DOOR TO WHERE THE TALKS ARE TAKING PLACE).

CONFIDENTIAL

спадн

Sea See

150

151

/ 3. QI PROVIDED

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