RESTRICTED
137
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OO HONG KONG
GRS 280
RESTRICTED
FM FCO 271500Z FEB 84
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 361 OF 27 FEBRUARY
136 MIPT:
1852
1
Ніккофф
RECEIVED IN HELISTA
29 FEB 1984
LETTER FROM MR WALTER SULKE TO THE PRIME MINISTER.
1. FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF A DRAFT REPLY FROM THE PRIME
MINISTER'S PRIVATE SECRETARY TO MR WALTER SULKE:QUOTE
THE PRIME MINISTER HAS ASKED ME TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER OF
13 FEBRUARY ENCLOSING A COPY OF YOUR SPEECH TO THE ROTARY CLUB
HONG KONG SOUTH ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. SHE ALWAYS
WELCOMES THE VIEWS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE ABOUT THE TERRITORY'S
FUTURE, AND THE CONTENTS OF YOUR SPEECH HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY
NOTED.
کہ
YOUR SPEECH WAS A LONG ONE, AND I HOPE YOU WILL FORGIVE ME
IF I DO NOT COMMENT ON EVERY POINT WHICH IT CONTAINED. I SHOULD,
HOWEVER, TAKE UP YOUR PROPOSAL THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOW WITHDRAW FROM NEGOTIATIONS AND AWAIT A UNILATERAL CHINESE STATE-
MENT BEFORE CONDUCTING A REFERENDUM. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT
FAVOUR AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH, NAMELY THE PURSUIT OF DISCUSSION
WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON THE ATTAINMENT OF THE COMMON OB-
JECTIVE WHICH IS THE CONTINUING STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG
KONG.
IN OUR VIEW IT IS THIS ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE NEGOT-
IATING PROCESS WHICH WILL BEST ASSIST THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG.
WE HAVE REPEATEDLY MADE IT CLEAR THAT ANY AGREEMENT THAT IS
REACHED MUST BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AS WELL AS
TO THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT
THE VIEWS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE EXPRESSED IN SUCH FORA AS THE UR-
BAN COUNCIL WILL CONTINUE TO BE FULLY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT
THROUGHOUT THE TALKS. THIS PROCESS OF CONSULTATION IS A CONTIN-
UOUS ONE, AND WE HAVE UNDER CONSTANT REVIEW THE QUESTION OF HOW IT CAN BEST BE PURSUED. UNQUOTE.
See (38)
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HOWE
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MR DONALD
COPIES TO:
SIR P CRADOCK
RESTRICTED
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