CONFIDENTIAL
File
(144)
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
File Ref: 040/5
RJT McLaren Esq CMG
Political Adviser HONG KONG
Dear Rotrin
: A ROWN HEIN
21 April 1983
NKK040|5
༡、,!
2 3 APR 1983
INDWA
AUSTRALIAN OFFICIALS' VIEWS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG
1.
Attached is a copy of a minute by Nigel Inkster, Peking, which you may have seen already.
'See (143)
2.
This is not so much
Para 3 we find rather disturbing. because the Chinese still seem to believe that we make vast sums of money out of Hong Kong, but more that an Australian official, ie Klintworth, should be going to the NCNA to ask them what they think the place is worth to HMG.
3.
I imagine that either you or Richard Margolis see Klintworth from time to time. I should be grateful if someone could have a quiet word with him sometime. We now provide the Australians with a good deal of briefing on the future and it would be more helpful if, in return, they were to make it clear to the Chinese that we do not make money of this sort out of Hong Kong, rather than implying, by asking the NCNA for a figure, that we do.
cc: N Inkster Esq
PEKING
Dich
R D Clift
Hong Kong and General Department
CONFIDENTIAL