DD HONG KONG 130030Z
GRS 313
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 130030Z
CONFIDENTIAL
16542
1
HKK 040/46
KECEIVED IN REGISTRİY
13 NOV 1984
DESK OFFICER
REGISTRY
FM FCO 121705Z NOV 84
INDEX
PA
Action Taken
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2233 OF 12 NOVEMBER
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
YOUR TELNO 3451: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: SIGNATURE CEREMONY
1. WE HAVE NOT YET CONSULTED MINISTERS, BUT OUR FIRST REACTION
IS THAT THE JUDGEMENT IN THE FIRST 3 PARAS OF TUR AND THE APPROACH
PROPOSED IN PARA 4 SEEM BROADLY RIGHT.
2. BEFORE THE AMBASSADOR SPEAKS TO ZHOU NAN WE NEED TO BE CLEAR
HOW MUCH PROMINENCE YOU FEEL OUGHT TO BE GIVEN TO UMELCO MEMBERS
ABOVE OTHER HONG KONG PARTICIPANTS. WE DO NOT THINK THAT THERE
SHOULD NOW BE TOO MUCH DIFFICULTY ABOUT ENSURING THAT EXCO AND LEGCO MEMBERS ARE IDENTIFIED AS SUCH AND ARE NOT SEEN TO OCCUPY A SUBORDINATE POSITION COMPARED WITH OTHER, PEKING-ORIENTED HONG KONG FIGURES. THE PRECEDENT OF THE PRIORITY GIVEN TO THE HONG KONG
GOVERNMENT DELEGATION OVER THE COMPATRIOTS' AT THE NATIONAL DAY
BANQUET IN PEKING (YOUR TELNO 3144) MAY BE AN ENCOURAGING
INDICATION (ALTHOUGH OF COURSE THE OFFICIAL DELEGATION WAS NOT RECEIVED BY DENG). BUT IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO GET THE CHINESE
TO AGREE THAT THE UNOFFICIALS SHOULD BE GIVEN ANY SIGNIFICANT
MEASURE OF SPECIAL PROMINENCE OR SPECIAL TREATMENT. IT IS CLEAR
FOR EXAMPLE THAT THE CHINESE WOULD BE OPPOSED TO ANY ATTEMPT TO
MAKE UNOFFICIALS PART OF OUR OFFICIAL DELEGATION. THEY OF COURSE
DO NOT ACCEPT THAT THE UNOFFICIALS WERE IN ANY WAY ASSOCIATED
WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS. IF HOWEVER THE POINT IS PUT TO THE CHINESE
IN THE TERMS OF SUBPARA 4(C) OF TUR, WE THINK WE COULD EXPECT
THE CHINESE TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WOULD ADEQUATELY MEET
OUR CONCERNS.
3. IN SPEAKING TO ZHOU NAN IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF THE AMBASSADOR
LEFT OPEN THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE MIGHT NOMINATE OTHER HONG KONG FIGURES, APART FROM UNOFFICIALS, FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE SIGNATURE
CONFIDENTIAL
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