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FM FCO 301600Z JUN 83
TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1083 OF 30 JUNE L...
~ MKK 040/5
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
- 7 JUL 1983
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DESK OFFR INDEX
REGISTRY Section Takeri
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FOLLOWING TELEGRAM NOW REPEATED TO YOU (FOR AMBASSADOR) AT REQUEST
OF DEPARTMENT WAS SENT TO CANBERRA TELEGRAM NUMBER 215 OF 24 JUNE.
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR),
ROUTINE PEKING (PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR)
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FOR CULLIMORE FROM DONALD
MIPT: VISIT OF MR HAYDEN TO HONG KONG
1. I EXPLAINED TO SIR VICTOR GARLAND MY CONCERN
IT
WAS IMPORTANT TO STRIKE A PROPER BALANCE, THOUGH HE SHOULD
UNDERSTAND THAT WE WERE UNDER A TIGHT CONSTRAINT TO KEEP KNOWLEDGE
ON THIS SUBJECT EXTREMELY CLOSE. ONLY THE AMERICANS AND THE
AUSTRALIANS WERE BEING KEPT INFORMED AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL.
2. SINCE MID-APRIL, WHEN MR HAYDEN WAS BRIEFED BY SIR J MASON,
PROGRESS IN OUR TALKS WITH THE CHINESE HAD CONTINUED TO BE SLOW.
MEETINGS CONTINUED THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS IN PEKING. THE
AMBASSADOR'S INTERLOCUTOR WAS A VICE MINISTER WHO STUCK FAST TO
HIS BRIEF AND WAS UNABLE TO TAKE DECISIONS HIMSELF. FOR A WHILE
CHINESE PROPAGANDA HAD BEEN AIMED AT IMPLYING THAT WE HAD ALREADY
CONCEDED SOVEREIGNTY. (IT HAD PREVIOUSLY SUGGESTED THAT TALKS
HAD STALLED BECAUSE THE BRITISH WERE BEING INTRANSIGENT.) IN
RECENT WEEKS HOWEVER THE CHINESE HAD TONED DOWN THEIR PROPAGANDA
AND, IN AN APPARENT EFFORT TO GET INTO MORE SUBSTANTIVE TALKS,
HAD SHOWN A LITTLE FLEXIBILITY.
3. I MADE IT CLEAR AT THIS POINT THAT THIS APPARENT CHINESE
THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RETAINED ECRET
IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER
SECTION 3 (4) OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1958
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