RESTRICTED
TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE TRANSITION.) THE NEW EVENING POST
SAID THAT THE MAIN THEME FOR THE HONG KONG TALKS WAS TO DISCUSS
HOW BEST TO ARRANGE FOR THE TRANSITION. HONG KONG'S SOVEREIGNTY
BELONGED TO CHINA. IT WAS THEREFORE WITHIN CHINA'S JURISDICTION
TO DECIDE WHAT SYSTEM SHOULD BE USED IN HONG KONG AFTER THE
REVERSION OF SOVEREIGNTY. IT WOULD HOWEVER BE A QUOTE GLORIOUS
DIPLOMATIC ACHIEVEMENT UNQUOTE FOR BRITAIN IF THIS HISTORICAL
QUESTION COULD BE RESOLVED AMICABLY BY ISSUING A JOINT STATEMENT WITH CHINA ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE. IN AN INDIRECT CRITICISM OF
THE MING PAO EDITORIAL QUOTED IN MY TELNO 946, THE NEW EVENING
POST SAID THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG DID NOT WANT BRITAIN AND
CHINA TO QUOTE PLAY CARD UNQUOTE. COMMENTING ON THE REPORTS THAT
THE RESUMPTION OF NEGOTIATIONS MEANT THAT THE PRIME MINISTER HAD
CHANGED HER POSITION ON SOVEREIGNTY, THE NEW EVENING POST SAID
THAT QUOTE IT WOULD BE A RETROGRADE STEP IF BRITAIN WERE TO ASK
FOR AN EXTENSION OF THE UNEQUAL TREATIES IN THE RESUMED TALKS.
UNQUOTE
HADDON-CAVE
!
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
LIMITED
ED/HKD
HD/PLANNING STAFF
ED/FED
HD/PUSD
PS
PS/LADY YOUNG
PS/MR LUCE
PS/FUS
SIR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD
MR WRIGHT
THIS TELEGRAM
WAS NOT
'ADVANCED
COPIES TO:
SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER
MR BURROWS
MR MARTIN
MR FLOWER
MR COLES
LEGAL ADVISERS ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE
PUSD
NO 10 DOWNING ST
SIR A PARSONS
11
MR WALKER, RESEARCH DEPT (COGGS)
MR ROBERTS
NEWS D
HONG KONG GOVT. OFFICE
RESTRICTED