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FM FCO 110930Z JUL 83
TO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA
TELEGRAM NUMBER 225
MKK 040 5
4007
RECEIVED ALS SY NO. 51
13 JUL 1983
DESK OF INDEX
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
chs18
REPEATED FOR INFORMATION IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR HIGH COMMISSIONER FROM DONALD
l - YOUR TELNO 344 AND HONG KONG TELNOS 953, 954, 960 AND 961 AND
PEKING TELNO 636· HKK04012 (109
14) (189
१२
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
1.
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PLEASE SEEK AN EARLY CALL ON MR HAYDEN AND CONVEY TO HIM MINISTERS' GRAVE DISAPPOINTMENT AND CONCERN OVER SOME OF HIS REMARKS DURING HIS PRESS CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG ON 4 JULY. YOU COULD POINT OUT THAT WE ARE AWARE THAT HE WAS MIS-REPORTED IN THE 'AUSTRALIAN' NEWSPAPER, BUT THAT WE HAVE SINCE SEEN THE OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT AND THAT OUR CONCERN IS BASED ON HIS ACTUAL WORDS RATHER THAN ANY MEDIA GLOSSES. YOU COULD DRAW ON PARAGRAPH 5 OF HONG KONG TELNO 953 AND PARAGRAPH 1 OF PEKING TELNO 636 IN EXPLAINING OUR FEELING. YOU COULD ADD THAT NOT ONLY ARE SUCH REMARKS DAMAGING TO CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG BUT THEY CUT DIRECTLY ACROSS OUR EFFORTS TO IMPRESS UPON THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP THAT THERE IS A DEEP-ROOTED CONVICTION IN HONG KONG THAT CHINESE CONTROL OF THE TERRITORY WOULD BE INCOMPATIBLE WITH ITS CONTINUING PROSPERITY AND STABILITY.
2.
WE
YOU SHOULD MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE DO NOT AT ALL DISPUTE HAYDEN'S POINT THAT AUSTRALIA HAS A LEGITIMATE INTEREST IN THE SATISFACTORY SETTLEMENT OF THIS PROBLEM. FOR THIS REASON WE HAVE BEEN BRINGING THEM INTO OUR CONFIDENCE ON DEVELOPMENTS. SHOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO DO SO. WE ARE SURE THAT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SHARES OUR OBJECTIVES IN THE MATTER. BUT WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL NOW TO HAVE BOTH (ALBEIT MONTHS AFTER THE EVENT) AN ACCOUNT OF HAYDEN'S TALKS WITH THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER, AND AN INDICATION OF THE LINE HE PROPOSES TO TAKE IN PEKING NEXT MONTH. WE WILL SUPPLY FURTHER BRIEFING ON THIS IF REQUIRED. 3. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR AN URGENT ACCOUNT OF YOUR CALL, IF
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IAGREED