TT HONG KONG
GRS 294
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
304
+IKKO4d2 кофор
።
D IN AUSRIHY 17 NOV 1983
DESE OFFICIA INDUK
De da Lak
3663
1
12814
TELELETTER
FROM R D CLIFT, HKD, FCO
FILE REFERENCE HKK 040/19
DATED 14 NOVEMBER 1983
FOLLOWING FOR L M DAVIES ESQ, SECRETARY (GENERAL DUTIES) HONG KONG COPIES TO A C GALSWORTHY, PEKING
303) MIP TELELETTER: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: UMELCO
1.
FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF DAILY STAR REPORT:
'A NEW DIPLOMATIC BOMBSHELL HAS MADE SIR GEOFFREY HOWE'S LONG-
TERM FUTURE AS FOREIGN SECRETARY MORE UNCERTAIN THAN EVER.
FOR IT HAS BEEN REVEALED THAT BRITAIN IS WILLING TO 'SELL-OUT'
ITS RIGHTS OVER HONG KONG. AT PRESENT BRITAIN OWNS ABOUT HALF
THE MONEY-MAKING COLONY. THE TITLE DEEDS' FOR THE REST ARE
HELD BY CHINA AND WE RENT IT FROM PEKING. BUT ALL THE LEASES RUN
OUT IN 15 YEARS AND NEGOTIATIONS ARE NOW ON TO PIECE TOGETHER
SOME SORT OF DEAL. SIR GEOFFREY SHOCKED A PRIVATE MEETING OF
SENIOR TORY BACKBENCHERS EARLIER THIS WEEK WHEN HE TOLD THEM:
'WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IS A LIBERAL WESTERN-STYLE ECONOMY IN
A COMMUNIST SETTING'. HIS AUDIENCE MEMBERS OF THE INFLUENTIAL
FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE WERE OUTRAGED. THEY WERE EXPECTING
A MESSAGE FROM THE FOREIGN OFFICE THAT BRITAIN WAS NOT GOING TO
SELL OUT OVER HONG KONG. AND AFTER THE GRENADA CRISIS IT MEANS
ANOTHER HOT SESSION FOR SIR GEOFFREY DURING TODAY'S COMMONS
DEBATE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS WITH GOVERNMENT SUPPORTERS QUITE AS
CRITICAL AS LABOUR MPS. 'IT WAS REALLY VERY INEPT. WE EXPECT
A LOT MORE FROM OUR FOREIGN SECRETARY' A SENIOR TORY, WHO
ATTENDED THE COMMITTEE MEETING, SAID LAST NIGHT. SIR GEOFFREY'S
WORDS WILL NOT PUT ANY CONFIDENCE INTO THE WORLD'S MONEY MARKET
WHERE HONG KONG SHARES AND DEALINGS HAVE BECOME A MAJOR INFLUENCE
OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS. BACK IN WESTMINSTER THE RUMOURS WERE
AGAIN RIFE THAT SIR GEOFFREY COULD END UP AS ONE OF THE SHORTEST
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1
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