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GRS 250
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RESTRICTED
FM CANBERRA 050730Z JUL 83
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 344 OF 5 JULY
(227
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INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG (FOR ACTING GOVERNOR), BANGKOK
THE AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER'S PRESS CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG
THE AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER TODAY, 5 JULY, REPORTS THAT AT A PRESS
CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG ON 4 JULY MR. HAYDEN SAID THAT HE HAD 'GAINED ASSURANCES FROM THE ACTING GOVERNOR AND OTHERS IN HONG KONG' THAT THERE WOULD BE A SMOOTH TRANSITION OF SOVEREIGNTY AND CONTROL'. HE ADDED THAT IN HIS TALKS WITH THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER A FEW WEEKS AGO IN CANBERRA HE HAD GAINED ASSURANCES THAT CHINA WOULD RESPECT HONG KONG'S SPECIAL POSITION. WHAT THE MINISTER SOUGHT TO IMPRINT ON MY MIND WAS THE CLEAR DETERMIN- ATION OF CHINA TO ENSURE THAT THERE WOULD BE A SMOOTH PROCESS. HE STATED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO DOUBT THAT POST-1997 HONG KONG, UNDER WHATEVER ARRANGEMENTS, WOULD FUNCTION AS IT FUNCTIONS TODAY. HE SAID THAT CHINA RECOGNISED THAT FOR HONG KONG TO BE SUCCESS- FUL IT WOULD HAVE TO OPERATE AS A FREE MARKET CAPITALIST SYSTEM.' MR HAYDEN ADDED THAT WHEN HE VISITS CHINA SHORTLY (HE IS DUE TO GO TO PEKING EARLY NEXT MONTH) HE WOULD SEEK FURTHER ASSURANCES FROM CHINESE LEADERS THAT THERE WOULD BE A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN THE HANDING BACK OF HONG KONG TO CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY.
2. THESE REMARKS GO CONSIDERABLY FURTHER THAN ANYTHING SAID TO US BY AUSTRALIAN OFFICIALS AFTER THE VISIT HERE OF ZHAO ZHIANG AND THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER IN APRIL WHEN INDEED WE WERE TOLD THAT HONG KONG HAD ONLY BEEN BRIEFLY MENTIONED IN PASSING. (UPTON'S LETTER OF 28 APRIL AND CULLIMORE'S OF 2 MAY BOTH TO CHICK, SPD REFER). WE WILL SEEK CLARIFICATION HERE BUT GRATEFUL FOR ANY COMMENT FROM HONG KONG.
MASON
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
LIMITED
HD/HKD
COPIES TO:
HD/FED
MR BURROWS
HD/PLANNING STAFF
MR MARTIN
MR FLOWER
MR COLES
HD/PUSD
HOSSAD
PS/LADY YOUNG
PS/MR LUCE PS/PUS
SIR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD MR WRIGHT
SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER
LEGAL ADVISERS (130 беево
ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE
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SIR A PARSONS
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11
MR WALKER, RESEARCH DEPT
MR ROBERTS NEWS D
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HKK040/5
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 12 JUL 1983
DESK OFFICE"
INDEX
PA
Avalik Takon
M TOMITTE