A
Private Secretary
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MKKC090/13
(4)
ра fadelo
FROM: R D CLIFT, HKD DATE: 14 JULY 1983
cc: Mr Elliott, FED
PS/Mr Luce
Mr Donald
C7518
3
HONG KONG: LETTER FROM MR ROBERT ADLEY MP
PROBLEM
1. How to reply to a letter from Mr Robert Adley MP on the future of Hong Kong.
RECOMMENDATION
2.
I recommend that the Secretary of State should reply on
the lines of the attached draft. FED concur.
See (5)
B, D attached
C,E attached
F
attached
BACKGROUND AND ARGUMENT
3
Mr Adley is Chairman of the British-Chinese Parliamentary Group and has visited Hong Kong on several occasions. He wrote to Mr Pym on 13 December 1982 and to Lord Belstead on 18 January expressing concern that the talks over the future of Hong Kong might affect UK/China relations. Lord Belstead replied that HMG had no wish to jeopardise our excellent relations with the People's Republic of China but could not ignore its commitment to the people of Hong Kong.
4. Mr Adley made the same point about the importance of good UK/China relations in a supplementary question in the House of Commons on 22 December 1982.
5.
The article enclosed with Mr Adley's latest letter was clearly written before the Prime Minister's visit to China and
Hong Kong in September 1982. It makes some sensible points, but in some respects it does not take enough account of the psychological need to reassure Hong Kong that Britain will push for as good a deal as possible, not from 'the barrel of a gun' but in firm negotiation.
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/6.