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1.7
SECRET
Dobeles Diven wests tople
& mould discur
Sir P Cradock
radock
FROM:
D C Wilson
DATE:
23/0
cc:
235
15 March 1984 MKKodell
Mrclift
Mr Thomson MAR 1984
Mr Burrows
INDEX
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: LUNCH AT THE CHINESE EMBASSY
1. I was invited to lunch today by the Political Counsellor
of the Chinese Embassy, Mr Zheng Yaowen.
by Mr Chen Ziying.
• TRY
Taken
a (1127/2
He was accompanied
see
(248)
2. When the subject of the Hong Kong negotiations came up,
I said that the discussions seemed to have been going reason-
ably well. However, I was greatly concerned about recent
developments. We had put forward our ideas on the timetable
for an agreement. This was a major effort by Ministers to
fit in with the Chinese view on timing. We envisaged reaching
agreement by September on a draft which, following publication
and a period for reflection and comment, would then be debated
in Parliament. This would enable us to sign an agreement by the end of the year. It was a matter for great regret and
surprise that Zhou Nan had reacted unfavourably to these ideas.
It was hard to see why. We had a common objective of reaching
agreement as soon as possible. Our proposals met this
objective and fitted in with the essentials of the Chinese
timetable. An agreement by the end of the year would be a
major achievement. The opportunity should not be missed.
3.
Mr Zheng said he was not aware of these latest developments
(he later said that the Embassy had not been informed either of
our proposal for a visit to Peking by the Secretary of State). He asked whether it would not be possible to reach an agreement
earlier. I said it might theoretically be possible to reach
agreement on a draft before September. But it seemed most
unlikely that there would be sufficient time to publish this
and have it considered by Parliament before the summer recess. It was important not to give the impression that people were being rushed. Parliament would wish to know how people in
Hong Kong had reacted. I hoped that the Embassy were making clear to Peking the importance of these parliamentary
considerations.
SECRET
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