GRS 230
SECRET
DE DIP
FROM PEKING 28035OZ MAR 83
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 278 OF 28/3/93
SECRET
TOP COPY
Anti
HAK 040 15
30 MAR 1983
5 CH1214
REPEATED FOR INFO TO PRIORITY CANBERRA (PERSONAL FOR HIGH COMMISS- JONER, PRIORITY HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR)
98
FOLLOWING FOR DONALD: CANBERRA TEL NO 151:
CHINESE PREMIER'S VISIT TO AUSTRALIA
1. I AGREE VERY MUCH WITH SIR J MASON'S RECOMMENDATION.
2. THE AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY HERE SHOW A KEEN INTEREST IN HONG KONG, AND VARIOUS AUSTRALIAN VISITORS TO PEKING HAVE RAISED THE SUBJECT WITH THE CHINESE (THOUGH, INTERESTINGLY, NOT FRASER): THE POINT THEY HAVE TRIED TO PRESS UPON THE CHINESE HAS BEEN THAT HONG KONG IS NOT SIMPLY A BILATERAL ISSUE BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA BUT THAT OTHER COUNTRIES INCLUDING AUSTRALIA HAVE SUBSTANTIAL INTERESTS AT STAKE. IT IS IN OUR INTERESTS THAT THE AUSTRALIANS SHOULD CONTINUE TO PUT THIS LINE ACROSS, AS IT COULD HELP TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE CHINESE THAT HONG KONG IS A MORE COMPLEX ISSUE THAN THEY MIGHT IMAGINE.
3. WE HAVE NOTHING TO GAIN BY INVOLVING THE AUSTRALIANS IN THE NEGOTIATING PROCESS, 1.E. BY ASKING THEM TO PASS MESSAGES, EVEN IF THEY WERE PREPARED TO BE SO INVOLVED. ON THE CONTRARY
IT COULD BE DANGEROUSLY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE IF CHINESE PARANOIA WERE TO BE AROUSED BY WHAT THEY MIGHT SEE AS A CONSPIRACY OF ALLIES AGAINST THEM. THE BEST COURSE IN MY VIEW IS TO GIVE THE AUSTRALIANS A MODERATELY CONFIDENTIAL BRIEFING WITH APPROPRIATE CAVEATS, AS ENVISAGED IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF TUR, TO ENABLE THEM BETTER TO PUT ACROSS THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVE TO THE CHINESE, SHOULD THEY WISH TO DO SO. BUT WE SHOULD NOT PRESS THEM.
CRADDOCK
LIMITED HD/HKGD
MR WRIGHT
HD/FED
MR GIFFARD MR DONALD
HD/PUSD
HD/SPD PS/PUS
SECRET
See 104 706
114
101
J