CONFIDENTIAL
GRS 400
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM PEKING 100456Z NOV 84
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2738 OF 10 NOVEMBER
MKK 04957.
RECEVE
AGISTRY
72 NQV 1984
DESK OFFICER
(54
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INDEX
PA
(53) MY TWO PTS:
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRIME MINISTER'S VIISHIT
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 VISH·T-," BUT ADDED THAT THE REASONS FOR THIS WERE UNDERSTANDABLE.
2. M 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. 4: SHOULD STILL BE SURPRISED IF THE CHINESE DO NOT WANT THEM AT THE SIGNATURE CEREMONY. ZHOU SPOKE ABOUT A GRAND CEREMONY''
BUT
4. 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, FINDEED 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 HMPORTANT ONE FOR DISCUSSION DURING THE VISHT. BUT ZHOU AT LEAST DOES NOT SEEM TO ENVISAGE
CONTRACTS BEING SHGNED AT THAT TIME.
6. TOLD ZHOU THAT WAS PLANNING TO TAKE PART IN THE TOUR OF THE SOUTH FOR HEADS OF MISSION FROM 16 NOVEMBER TO 22 NOVEMBER. HE SAND HE HOPED WE COULD MEET AGAIN BEFORE LEFT. I DID NOT SAY ANYTHING TO GIVE HIM WIND OF THE FACT THAT I WOULD WANT TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT THE WHITE PAPER ON CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEXT
WEEK.
EVANS
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER)
PS
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR W HARD ING
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
CONFIDENTIAL
COPIES TO:(VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
OFFICE
MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE
SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR P CRADOCK, ROOM K195 MRS NOBLE, PROTOCOL DEPT