GPS 600
RESTRICTED
DESKBY FCO
DESKBY PEKING
0809OOZ
08083OZ
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 080650Z DEC 93
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1901 OF 8 DECEMBER 1983
TOP CO
HKK04012
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
1'. E
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3 DLL 1983
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HAGB 34 Cristi
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING AND ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPS. WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, BRUSSELS AND GENEVA
FUTURE OF HONG KONG:PRESS COVERAGE.
WHILST TODAY'S PRESS CARRIED VERY LITTLE ON THE PRESENT ROUND OF TALKS THEMSELVES, ALL NEWSPAPERS FACTUALLY RELAYED IN FRONT OR
BACK PAGE LEADS REMARKS BY QI HUAIYUAN (HEAD OF THE INFORMATION
DEPARTMENT, AT THE CHINESE MFA) AT HIS WEEKLY PRESS BRIEFING IN
PEKING YESTERDAY.
2. ACCOUNTS OF QI'S REMARKS FOCUSSED ON THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
(A) THE PRINCIPLE OF REGAINING SOVEREIGNTY AND ADMINISTRATIVE
RIGHT IN HONG KONG WAS NOT NEGOTIABLE, CHINA INTENDED TO REACH AGREEMENT WITH BRITAIN ON THE PRESERVATION OF THE TERRITORY'S
PROSPERITY AND STABILITY WHILST MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S PRESENT
LIFE-STYLE:
(B) REITERATION OF CHINA'S INTENTION TO RECOVER SOVEREIGNTY BY 1997 UNLESS QUOTE THERE OCCURRED SOME TURMOIL, A MAJOR BREAKDOWN OF SOCIAL ORDER UNQUOTE FORCING CHINA TO REVIEW ITS TIMETABLE:
(C) CHINA WOULD MAKE A UNILATERAL ANNOUNCEMENT ON HONG KONG
IN SEPTEMBER 1984:
(D) MAINTAINING THAT THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS PREVAILED, QI REFUSED TO CONFIRM WHETHER DRAFTING HAD
BEGUN ON THE QUOTE MINI-CONSTITUTION UNQUOTE.
3. MOST INDEPENDENT PAPERS (BUT NONE OF THE COMMUNIST ONES), THE TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS, COVERED A BBC STORY THAT THE OUTLINES OF A SETTLEMENT ON HONG KONG WERE EMERGING FROM THE
SINO-BRITISH TALKS. THESE AMOUNTED TO A BRITISH ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
OF CHINA'S SOVEREIGNTY IN RETURN FOR SPECIAL STATUS FOR BRITISH
ADMINISTRATORS IN A TERRITORY THAT WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED FOR AT
LEAST 50 YEARS.
4. NONE OF THE COMMUNIST PAPERS CARRIED FUTURE-RELATED EDITORIALS OR COMMENTARIES, EXCEPT FOR PASSING COMMENT ABOUT THE GENERALLY
RELAXED ATMOSPHERE OF THE PRESENT ROUND OF TALKS.
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