CONFIDENTIAL
HICK 040/57.
RECEIVED
REGISTRY
20 DEC 1984
TOP COPY
170
Silen
451
GRS 1500
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 190930 HK AND FCO-
FROM PEKING 190753Z DEC 24
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3034 OF 19/12/84
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
FROM PS/PRIME MINISTER
PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT: TALKS WITH ZHAO: HONG KONG
SUMMARY
1. THE PRIME MINISTER ASSURED ZHAO THAT HMG WOULD IMPLEMENT THE AGREEMENT FULLY AND DO ALL POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BASIC LAW AND POINTED TO THE VALUE OF LISTENING TO HONG KONG VIEWS. SHE EMPHA-ISED THAT CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE STEADY AND SECURE. ZHAO GAVE REASSURANCES THAT CHINA WOULD IMPLEMENT THE AGREEMENT FULLY, EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE OF AVERTING PROBLEMS DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD AND CONFIRMED THAT CHINA WOULD NOT
COMMENT ON OUR CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS.
DETAIL
2. THE PRIME MINISTER HAD A SHORT INFORMAL MEETING FOLLOWED
BY TWO AND A HALF HOURS OF FORMAL TALKS WITH ZHAO THIS MORNING.
THE ATMOSPHERE WAS FRIENDLY AND RELAXED. THE FIRST HOUR WAS
DEVOTED TO HONG KONG MATTERS.
GENERAL
3. DURING THE INFORMAL MEETING, ZHAO SAID THAT THE PRIME MINISTER'S
VISIT HAD LAID THE FOUNDATIONS FOR THE SATISFACTORY SETTLEMENT. THE
AGREEMENT WAS A MAJOR EVENT OF HISTORICAL AND FAR-REACHING SIGNIFICANCE. HE PRAISED THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S ROLE.
4. IN THE TALKS THE PRIME MINISTER SPOKE FIRST. SHE SAID THAT THE
TWO SIDES HAD BEEN UNSURE TWO YEARS AGO HOR THE NEGOTIATIONS ON
HONG KONG WOULD TURN OUT. SHE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE HMG ATTACHED TO THE AGREEMENT. SHE WAS PLEASED THAT SHE AND ZHAO WOULD SIGN. SHE BELIEVED THE AGREEMENT FULLY MET THE INTERESTS OF BOTH COUNTIRES. IT LAND THE FOUNDATION UPON WHICH THE PEOPLE OF HONG
KONG COULD BUILD THEIR FUTURE AND ALSO FOR IMPROVED BILATERAL
RELATIONS.
5. ZHAO SAID THAT THE SATISFACTORY CONCLUSION OF THE AGREEMENT
WAS THE RESULT OF FRIENDLY BILATERAL RELATIONS. IT WAS AAR EF BLMGQV IFM
OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE. THE AGREEMENT HAD NOT ONLY
CONFIDENTIAL
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