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CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 151715Z MARCH 84
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 228 OF 15 MARCH
MIPT: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PARLIAMENTARY STATEMENTS.
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INFO IMMEDİATE HONG KONG
1.
FOLLOWING IS DRAFT OF PROPOSED SPEECH:
BEGINS
1. OUR CONFIDENTIAL TALKS WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ARE CONTINUING
THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS IN PEKING. TEN ROUNDS HAVE NOW BEEN
HELD IN THE SECOND, MORE DETAILED PHASE OF TALKS WHICH BEGAN LAST
JULY. SQUARE BRACKETS BEGIN
THE LATEST ROUND (16/17 MARCH), LIKE ITS PREDECESSOR, WAS
DESCRIBED BY BOTH SIDES AS USEFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE. THE NEXT
WILL BE ON 26/27 MARCH. SQUARE BRACKETS END BOTH WE AND THE CHINESE
GOVERNMENT CONTINUE TO ATTACH THE HIGHEST IMPORTANCE TO THE
TALKS.
2. THE TALKS ARE TAKING PLACE IN A GOOD ATMOSPHERE AND ARE COVERING
MUCH DETAILED GROUND. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN
MADE.
WE AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ARE CONTINUING TO LOOK
REALISTICALLY AT THE HONG KONG QUESTION FROM EVERY ANGLE TO SEE
HOW THE TERRITORY'S CONTINUING STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, THE
AGREED COMMON AIM OF THE TALKS, MIGHT BEST BE ENSURED. WE WANT
THE BEST POSSIBLE DEAL FOR HONG KONG. WE BELIEVE THAT THE JOINT
OBJECTIVE OF THE TALKS, AND OUR GOOD RELATIONS WITH CHINA, WILL
HELP US TO ACHIEVE A SATISFACTORY NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT IN THE
TERRITORY'S BEST INTERESTS. THAT IS OUR GOAL. WE ARE RECEPTIVE
TO ANY PROPOSALS FOR HONG KONG'S FUTURE WHICH WOULD ENSURE
CONTINUING STABILITY AND PROSPERITY AND BE ACCEPTABLE TO
PARLIAMENT, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
3. WE ARE GETTING ON WITH THE TALKS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, BUT CANNOT
PREDICT PRECISELY HOW LONG THEY WILL TAKE. THE ISSUES ARE
COMPLEX AND WE BELIEVE THAT THE OVERRIDING CONSIDERATION MUST BE
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