CONFIDENTIAL
10739 1
PP KUALA LUMPUR
RR SINGAPORE
GRS185
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 291700Z MAR 83
TO PRIORITY KUALA LUMPUR
TELEGRAM NUMBER 99 OF 29 MARCH
INFO HONG KONG, SINGAPORE
DR MAHATHIR'S VISIT: HONG KONG
1.
Hak040/5.
my CMO14
MALAYSIAN HIGH COMMISSION HAVE DRAWN OUR ATTENTION TO HONG KONG STANDARD OF 16 MARCH WHICH CARRIED REPORT BY RAY HEARN
ABOUT DR MAHATHIR'S 'STERN WARNING' TO THE PRIME MINISTER OVER
THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG ALLEGEDLY MADE DURING HIS LONDON VISIT.
2. ARTICLE (COPY BY BAG) CLAIMS DR MAHATHIR WAS DISMAYED AT
HANDLING OF TALKS WITH CHINESE LEADERS:THAT HE VOICED FEARS OVER
FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND EFFECTS ON MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE (WHOSE
GOVERNMENT WAS SIMILARLY WORRIED) OF MASS EXODUS OF CAPITAL AWAY
FROM REGION.
3. YOU SHOULD NOT INITIATE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS SUBJECT, BUT
IF PRESSED YOU SHOULD EMPHASISE DR MAHATHIR'S VISIT WAS PRIVATE
AND THE MEETING BETWEEN THE TWO PRIME MINISTERS INFORMAL, FRIENDLY
AND RELAXED AND THAT THERE WAS NO SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSION OF HONG
KONG.
PYM
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HKGD
SEAD NEWS D FED
PS/PUS
MR GIFFARD MR DONALD
1
CONFIDENTIAL
(102)
THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN. CLOSED FOR
40 YEARS UNDER FOI EXEMPTION NO...........27642. Hotz
4012)
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