NOTE FOR THE FILE
CONFIDENTIAL
286
47579
HKK 040/5
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: BRIEFING A MEMBER OF THE NEW ZEALAND HIGH
COMMISSION.
This is just to record that Ms Elizabeth Halliday, First Secretary New Zealand High Commission, called on me on Friday 26 August for a general briefing on the future of Hong Kong. (She did not mention to me the fact, unknown to me at the time, that she had also called on Mr Martin of the Assessments Staff on 24 August). This is the first
time so far that I am aware of New Zealand interest in Hong Kong at the FCO. Ms Halliday asked some sensible questions and seemed generally pretty well informed. However, I briefed on now familiar lines without going into any detail on how talks. She seemed genuinely to share the scepticism of most of the people in Hong Kong about the viability of China's SAR plan and could well understand the need for guarantees of non-interference. Although we chewed
over the SAR plan for much of the time I made it clear to Ms Halliday that this was not what the talks were about. Both sides were still exploring the other side's position. No concessions had been made. Our concern was to get the best possible deal for the people of Hong Kong and we believed that this meant a continuation
The Chinese still of the present systems and the link with London. needed a good deal of education and convincing.
Ms Halliday was grateful for the briefing and promised to keep in touch. I said we were always interested to see any New Zealand reporting on this subject, eg from their Consulate General in Hong
Political Kong.
She said the latter were not active on the critical side which is why she had been asked by Wellington to try to find out more. I mentioned that with Mr Whitney going to Wellington soon there might be an opportunity then for us to provide more up-to-
date briefing.
никочо/5
LIVED IN
3 September 1983
- Wa
W Morris
Hong Kong Department
SEPA
cc: Mr Martin Assessments Staff,
Cabinet office