SECRET
825
HRK
040/1
1982
7112 - 1
TO DRAW ON, INCLUDING THE ADDABBO AND JOHNSON RECORDS, TALKING
POINTS FOR USE WITH JOURNALISTS, OUR GUIDANCE TELNO 192 OF
.20 OCTOBER AND PARA 3 OF MY TELELETTER TO YOU OF 28 FEBRUARY.
BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY PARTICULAR POINTS PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
5.
(57
IF ASKED, AS YOU NO DOUBT WILL BE, ABOUT OUR ATTITUDE
TOWARDS SOVEREIGNTY, HOW THE TALKS ARE GOING, WHAT POSITION HMG
IS TAKING, WHAT OPTIONS ARE OPEN TO US, THE LIKELY OUTCOME ETC,
YOU MUST REPEAT MUST AVOID BEING DRAWN. YOU COULD HOWEVER USE
THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
(A) MEETINGS IN PEKING TO FOLLOW UP THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT
ARE CONTINUING THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS.
(B) IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE ANY USEFUL FORECAST OF HOW LONG TALKS
WILL TAKE. THE ISSUES ARE COMPLEX. IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO FIND
THE RIGHT SOLUTION THAN TO RUSH MATTERS UNDULY.
(C) THERE IS A WELL-KNOWN DIFFERENCE OF VIEW BETWEEN US AND CHINA
OVER SOVERIEGNTY BUT GIVEN OUR COMMON OBJECTIVE THE MAINTENANCE
-
OF STABILITY AND PROSPERITY IN HONG KONG WE BELIEVE A SATISFACTORY
AGREEMENT CAN BE REACHED.
(D) THE RIGHT WAY TO DEAL WITH MATTERS OF THIS KIND IS THROUGH
DISCUSSIONS. NATURALLY THE CONTENT OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS MUST
BE CONFIDENTIAL.
(E) WE HAVE NO WISH TO NEGOTIATE THROUGH THE PRESS. IT IS THE
TALKS THAT COUNT AND WE DO NOT REGARD THEIR OUTCOME AS PREJUDGED
BY ANYTHING SAID OUTSIDE THEM.
(F) HMG IS COMMITTED TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND FULLY TAKES
INTO ACCOUNT THEIR VIEWS. THE GOVERNOR IS CLOSELY INVOLVED IN
THE TALKS AND WILL PARTICIPATE PERSONALLY AS NECESSARY.
(G) WE AIM TO REACH AN AGREEMENT WHICH PRESERVES THE STABILITY
AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG IN A WAY ACCEPTABLE TO PARLIAMENT AND
TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. WE HAVE NO RIGID PRECONCEPTION AS
TO HOW THIS MIGHT BE ACHIEVED AND ARE RECEPTIVE TO ANY PROPOSALS
THAT MEET THIS CRITERIA.
6.
78
7.
WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO HEAR IN DUE COURSE HOW THINGS WENT.
WE REALISE (MCLAREN'S TELELETTER) THAT THE CHINESE ARE
NOT HOLDING BACK FROM PUBLICISING THEIR IDEAS. WE ACCEPT OF COURSE
THE ADVANTAGES OF DISCREET BRIEFING OF OUR OWN WHERE THERE IS NO
2
SECRET