HKK 040/57
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
14 NOV 1984
REGISTRY
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
Action Taken
GRS 400
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
ABIGNDED ASTRIBUTION
FROM PEKING 100456Z NOV 84
FA
70.
TO HIMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2738 OF 10 NOVEMBER
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
MY TWO PTS: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRIME MINISTER'S VISUT
TO PEKING AND HONG KONG: COMMENT.
1. ZHOU GAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THERE WERE UNLIKELY TO BE
ANY DIFFICULTIES WITH THE DATES PROPOSED BY THE PRIME MINISTER, HE EXPRESSED MILD DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE SHORTNESS OF THE VISHT, BUT ADDED THAT THE REASONS FOR THIS WERE UNDERSTANDABLE.
2. DOUBT IF A MEETHING WITH PRESIDENT LI CAN BE AVOIDED. HE MAY WISH TO REPEAT THE CHINESE INVITATION TO THE QUEEN.
3. ZHOU GAVE NO IMMEDIATE REPLY TO MY QUESTIONS ON SPEECHES.
SHOULD STILL BE SURPRISED IF THE CHINESE DO NOT WANT THEM AT THE SIGNATURE CEREMONY. ZHOU SPOKE ABOUT A ''GRAND CEREMONY''
4.
·
BUT
ZHOU'S REMARKS ON HONG KONG ATTENDANCE MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE CHINESE WOULD NOT WISHT HONG KONG UNOFFICIALS TO BE MEMBERS OF OUR DELEGATION. THIS DOES NOT SURPRISE ME. YOU AND THE GOVERNOR WILL WISH TO CONSIDER CAREFULLY HOW WE SHOULD REACT TO ZHOU'S REQUEST FOR OUR VIEWS. HIS PROPOSAL MAY GIVE US AN OPENING, HINDEED MAY BE DESIGNED TO GIVE US AN OPENING, TO NOMINATE
CERTAIN HONG KONG PERSONS OURSELVES.
5.
ZHOU'S REMARKS ON GUANGDONG NUCLEAR REVEAL THAT THE CHINESE CERTAINLY SEE THIS SUBJECT AS AN IMPORTANT ONE FOR DISCUSSION
DURING THE VISIT. BUT ZHOU AT LEAST DOES NOT SEEM TO ENVISAGE
CONTRACTS BEING SIGNED AT THAT TIME.
CONFIDENTIAL
16