GRS 669
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 0815302 JUL 83
CONFIDENTIAL
TO ROUTINE CERTAIN MISSIONS AND DEPENDENT TERRITORIES GUIDANCE TELEGRAM NUMBER 083 OF 8 JULY 1983
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
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1. THIS GUIDANCE CONTAINS BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AND A LINE TO TAKE IN ANSWERING QUESTIONS. YOU MAY DRAW FREELY ON THIS EXCEPT WHERE OTHERWISE INDICATED BUT YOU SHOULD CONTINUE TO AVOID INITIATING DISCUSSION ON THE SUBJECT.
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MEETINGS TO FOLLOW UP THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS BEGAN LAST OCTOBER AND ARE CONTINUING. ON 1 JULY THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT WAS ISSUED IN PEKING AND LONDON:
1 FOLLOWING THE DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE LEADERS OF THE
TWO COUNTRIES IN SEPTEMBER 1982 AND SUBSEQUENT USEFUL EXCHANGES, IT HAS BEEN AGREED THAT A SECOND PHASE OF THE TALKS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WILL BEGIN IN PEKING ON 12 JULY 1983.'
3. THE CHINESE SIDE HAVE ANNOUNCED THAT THEIR DELEGATION FOR THIS SESSION WILL BE LED BY VICE FOREIGN MINISTER YAO GUANG. THE BRITISH TEAM WILL BE LED BY HM AMBASSADOR SIR P CRADOCK: THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG WILL ALSO TAKE PART.
4. THE CONTENT OF THE TALKS MUST REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL. NO TIMETABLE HAS BEEN SET, BUT WE ARE PRESSING ON AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
5. AS PART OF A CONTINUING PROCESS OF CONSULTATION, THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG ACCOMPANIED BY THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL VISITED LONDON FOR TALKS WITH MINISTERS ON 4 AND 5 JULY. THEY HAD MEETINGS WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY, AND MR LUCE. WE REAFFIRMED OUR COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG AND OUR AIM OF SEEKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE FUTURE, ACCEPTABLE TO PARLIAMENT, CHINA AND THE PUBLIC OF HONG KONG. (THIS AIM WAS ALSO EXPRESSED IN THE QUEEN'S SPEECH). WE ALSO EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE WE ATTACH TO THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WHICH WE SHALL CONTINUE TO SEEK THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE TALKS.
6. IF ASKED ABOUT THE PROSPECTS, YOU COULD REFER TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S SPEECH IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON 28 JUNE:
+ THE BACKGROUND OF GOOD RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED
KINGDOM AND CHINA, AND OUR COMMON INTEREST IN ENSURING THE FUTURE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG GIVE GROUNDS FOR CONFIDENCE THAT WE SHALL BE ABLE TO REACH A SATISFACTORY NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT.
CONFIDENTIAL
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