PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAT.
(190)
FLAG A
RECORD OF CONVERSATION BETWEEN MR RICHARD LUCE, MINISTER OF
STATE,
FOREIGN OFFICE AND MR PAUL WOLFOWITZ, ASSISTANT SECRETARY
OF STATE FOR EAST ASIA, AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT ON 26 OCTOBER
MK K04015
Present:
See 5B
Mr Richard Luce MP
W
Mr Paul Wolfowitz
Mr Roy Osborne, Private Secretary
Mr S J Gomersall, British Embassy
Mr Bill Brown, Deputy Assistant
Secretary
Mr Will Itoh, Special Assistant
to Mr Wolfowitz
HONG KONG
1. Mr Luce said that, following the Governor's briefing of Mr Weinberger, he wished to give Mr Wolfowitz as far as possible a picture of how the talks were going. He asked that his remarks should be closely held. Mr Wolfowitz agreed, and indicated later that in view of the sensitivity of his own remarks on China, he would be grateful if we could do likewise.
2. Mr Luce said the problem was how to maintain the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong against the background of the reality of the expiry of the lease in 1997. From his own recent visit, he believed that most Hong Kong people at all levels were concerned first and foremost with the preservation of their current way of life, with their free press, judiciary and convertible currency. They seemed less concerned about precisely
how this was achieved.
As for the Chinese, pride, and sensitivity about the unequal treaties and the persistence of the trappings of colonialism on the Chinese main land, was a serious factor behind the rigid position they had adopted on the inseparability of sovereignty and the right of administration. They said that once Britain accepted their views on these issues, anything else was negotiable; they had produced a ten point plan which they believed covered the necessary freedoms.
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
13.
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