CONFIDENTIAL
United Kingdom Mission
37-39 rue de Vermont 1211 Geneva 20
Telex 22956
Telegrams Prodrome Geneva
Telephone 34 38 00 33 23 85
HKK 040/5
Mar
FEB 1983
(54
R D Clift Esq
Hong Kong and General Department
F CO
Dear Dick,
HONG KONG AND THE FUTURE
1.
Your reference
Our reference
>
내
Date 23 February 1983
fgry set
913
B
Affiz
See(71
Bim Davies, former Secretary of Security of Hong Kong, has been in Geneva this week as part of a tour of Hong Kong offices abroad in his new capacity as "Mr Future". He called to see the Ambassador with Brian Chau of the Hong Kong Office.
2.
Davies rather surprised us by saying that he thought the next year and a half (rather than any longer time-scale) would be crucial. He was particularly interested to know whether the Chinese Mission here had been taking the initiative in putting round the version propagated e.g. by the Chinese Embassy in London and reflected in "The Times" in recent days that Hong Kong will simply revert to Chinese sovereignty but continue to enjoy its present advantages. Peter Marshall told him that so far as we were aware this had not happened in Geneva: the new Chinese Permanent Representative, Li, called recently and Hong Kong was not mentioned.
3. Peter Marshall wonders however whether you have any suitable background material for us to draw on discreetly with contacts in Geneva if the Chinese do start putting round their version. It would be nice to be forearmed.
Yours err,
Chris Mipher
C W Long
exter 3: th x 3rd cantries
© Mr. Janis 31/3
w/ 2812
They've got the guidance but I
in a
fill in
bit mou
Suppose I could fill
in a letter. Aft pl D 28/
CONFIDENTIAL
ре