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TELELETTER TO PEKING-
GRS 624
17 MAR 1983
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TELELETTER
FROM R D CLIFT, HKGD, FCO
FILE REFERENCE HKK 040/5 DATED 11 MARCH 1983
FOLLOWING FOR S J GOMERSALL ESQ, WASHINGTON
COPIED TO R J T MCLAREN ESQ CMG, POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG
A C GALSWORTHY ESQ, PEKING
CSIS SEMINAR ON HONG KONG
See (81
1. YOU WILL HAVE SEEN OUR TELNO 376 OF 7 MARCH (SINCE REPEATED
TO HONG KONG AND PEKING) AS WELL AS PEKING TELNO 215 AND MCLAREN'S
TELELETTERS OF 10 MARCH.
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2. THE PAPERS HAVE ALSO BEEN SEEN NOW BY SIR P CRADOCK AND
LORD BELSTEAD. BOTH SHARE OUT VIEW THAT WHILE WE HAVE NO WISH TO
APPEAR EXCESSIVELY DEFENSIVE, IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE IN PRESENT
CIRCUMSTANCES FOR A BRITISH OFFICIAL TO TAKE
ANYTHING OTHER THAN A LOW-PROFILE ROLE AT A MEETING OF THIS KIND.
THE TIME MAY COME WHEN THE PRIME MINISTER DECIDES THAT WE SHOULD
TAKE A MORE HIGH-PROFILE APPROACH BUT WE ARE NOT AT THAT STAGE
AT PRESENT.
3.
THAT SAID, WE SEE THAT IT MAY BE DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO AVOID
JOINING IN THE GENERAL DISCUSSION. BUT YOU SHOULD LIMIT YOUR
CONTRIBUTION TO :
(A) FACTUAL BACKGROUND ON HONG KONG, INCLUDING HISTORICAL ASPECTS (WITHOUT TOO MUCH EMPHASIS ON THE TREATIES).
(B) GENERAL BACKGROUND ON THE CHINESE POSITION OVER THE YEARS
(WITHOUT GOING INTO ANY DETAIL ON THE PRIME MINISTER'S TALKS IN
SEPTEMBER OR DEVELOPMENTS SINCE).
(C) ECONOMIC ASPECTS, PARTICULARLY FACTORS AFFECTING CONFIDENCE
IN HONG KONG.
(D) THE REASONS WHY THE CHINESE PROPAGANDA IDEA OF HONG KONG AS
A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, LINKED TO CHINA, IS VIEWED WITH
SCEPTICISM AND MISTRUST BY THE MAJORITY OF HONG KONG'S POPULATION.
4. ONE WAY OR ANOTHER YOU PROBABLY HAVE SUFFICIENT MATERIAL
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