DD 110200Z CANBERRA
PP PEKING
GRS 260
SECRET
DEDIP
DESKBY 110200Z
FM FCO 101730Z NOV 83
SECRET DEDIP
31148
NIKKOAD/S "TOP COP1556
RECEIVED IN
14 NON KOS
DESK OFFY 13
PA
•CHB
TO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA (PERSONAL FOR HIGH COMMISSIONER) TELEGRAM NUMBER 376 OF 10 NOVEMBER
REPEATED FOR INFO PRIORITY PEKING (PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR), HONG
KONG
545 YOUR TELNO 574: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: BRIEFING THE AUSTRALIANS
1. YOU WERE RIGHT TO ASSUME THAT BOSWELL'S REPORT IS EXAGGERATED
THERE IS NO NOTICE TO QUIT AND NO CRISIS TALKS WITH SIR P CRADOCK, WHO REMAINS IN PEKING.
·
2.
THE FACTS ARE THAT THE PRESS SPOKESMAN OF CHINESE MFA ANNOUNCED AT WEEKLY PRESS BRIEFING IN PEKING ON 9 NOVEMBER THAT,
'CHINA WILL ANNOUNCE ITS POLICY AND GUIDELINES FOR HONG KONG NOT LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 1984. WE HOPE THAT BEFORE THEN
AGREEMENT CAN BE REACHED WITH THE BRITISH SIDE. BUT IF NO AGREEMENT IS REACHED, CHINA WILL UNILATERALLY ANNOUNCE ITS POLICY
AND GUIDELINES'.
3. A NUMBER OF SENIOR CHINESE HAVE TAKEN A SIMILAR LINE IN THE PAST BOTH PUBLICLY AND IN PRIVATE. AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THIS IS THE FIRST 'FORMAL' CHINESE STATEMENT ON THE SEPTEMBER 1984
DEADLINE. IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN PARTLY MOTIVATED BY A CHINESE
WISH TO CLARIFY THEIR POSITION. THERE HAS BEEN RECENT PRESS SPECULATION THAT THE DEADLINE' HAS BEEN RELAXED. THE LATEST STATEMENT COUNTERACTS THIS. BUT IN OUR VIEW IT DOES NOT EXPLICIT LY RULE OUT A CONTINUATION OF DISCUSSIONS AFTER SEPTEMBER 1984. 4. WE ARE TAKING THE LINE, IF QUESTIONED, THAT THE TALKS ARE AIMED AT REACHING THE RIGHT SOLUTION. WE ARE CONCENTRATING ON
THESE, WITH NO RIGID TIMETABLE.
5. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR CONFIRMATION THAT YOU HAVE
(480BRIEFED HENDERSON ALONG LINES OF OUR TELNO 365.
КОШЕ
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
E/G
See (558
COPIES TO: (VIA DISTR. ROOM) SIR FILIP CORE BUCKINGHAM PAL PS/LORD PRESIDENT OF THE-COUNCH PS/HOME SECRETARY
PS/CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL
PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND
ED/PLANNING STAFF FD/POSD-
D/ED/PUSD(FLOWER)
RESEAROT DEPT(UR. WALKER)
LEGAL ADVISER(SIR LAN SINCLAIR)
PS/
PS/LADY YOUNG
PSA LUCE
PS/PCS/
SIR J BULLAED
MR GEFFARD
MR DONALD
MR FRIGHT
SECRET
INDUSTRY
COPIES TO:
(VIA ADR)
NEWS DEPT
MR ROBERTS
IT
tt
MA BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR A PARSONS MR KARTING ASSESSMENT STAFF CABINET OFFICE MR GOODALL CABINET OFFICE MR BRENNAN
PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL
12