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CONFIDENTIAL
GRS 650
CONFIDENT HAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2728
OF 04105OZ DECEMBER 85
INFO IMMED HATE PEKING
AKK
MC
MY TELNO 2713 AND PEKING TELNO 1774 : VISIT TO HONG KONG BY
STATE COUNCILLOR JI PENGFE
1. THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF THE AMENDMENTS PROPOSED IN YOUR TELNO
1904 AND PEKING TUR WOULD BE TO EMASCULATE THE APPROACH TO JI.
THEY WOULD PERMIT JI SIMPLY TO PRODUCE THE STOCK RESPONSES.
IN PARTICULAR, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO PARAGRAPH 13 OF THE BRIEF
IN YOUR TELNO 2695 WOULD HAVE THE EFFECT OF REDUCING ANY
CONVERSATION TO AN EXCHANGE OF PLATITUDES ABOUT EACH SIDE'S
SINCERITY AND DETERMINATION TO MAKE THE AGREEMENT SUCCEED.
2. 1 ACCEPT THAT IT WOULD BE UNWISE TO BELABOUR JI PENGFE1:
WE WANT TO CONTINUE THE WORK OF REASSURANCE. HOWEVER, THE LINE WE
TAKE WITH HIM SHOULD ALSO REFLECT THE FACT THAT THIS CONVERSATION
WILL BE TAKING PLACE IN VERY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES FROM THOSE IN
WHICH ALL PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS WITH CHINESE LEADERS ABOUT HONG
KONG HAVE TAKEN PLACE. JI PENGFE! WILL BE IN HONG KONG. WE ARE
PUSHING THE BOAT OUT FOR HIM. IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH NCNA ON THE
DETAILS OF THE PROGRAMME, WE HAVE MADE EVERY EFFORT TO. LET J
CHOOSE FOR HIMSELF WHAT HE SHOULD DO AND HAVE ALSO SOUGHT TO AVOID.
ANY PROTOCOL EMBARRASSMENT TO THE CHINESE SIDE. ALL CONCERNED IN
GOVERNMENT AND OUT ARE MAKING AN ENORMOUS EFFORT TO MAKE JI FEEL
A WELCOME GUEST. WE SHOULD NOT UNDERESTIMATE EITHER THE IMPACT
WHICH HONG KONG ITSELF MAKES ON EVEN THE MOST CLOSED OF MINDS. IT
IS THEREFORE MY CONSIDERED BELIEF THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK REASONABLY FRANKLY TO A SENIOR CHINESE LEADER WHICH SHOULD
NOT BE PASSED UP.
3. DO NOT SEE A READY ALTERNATIVE. THE FACT IS THAT AFTER SIX
MONTH'S WORK, THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND THE EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS
WHICH TAKE PLACE BETWEEN ITS MEETINGS HAVE ACHIEVED VERY LITTLE. THE
AGREEMENT ON THE RIGHT OF ABODE PACAKGE IS A WELCOME ACHIEVEMENT,
BUT IT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED AT SOME COST: WE HAVE GONE BACKWARDS ON
INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS, WE APPEAR TO BE MAKING LITTLE
HEADWAY ON THE GATT, AND AT THE SAME TIME CHINESE STATEMENTS ON
THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS
CONCERN IN HONG KONG. DO NOT SUGGEST THAT THE JLG IS ITSELF
RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL DIFFICULTIES, BUT THE FACT IS THAT IF WE
CONTINUE TO HANDLE HONG KONG ISSUES WITH CHINA AT THIS PACE AND
IN THIS MANNER, THERE IS A SERIOUS RISK OF AN EROSION OF CONFIDENCE.
CONFIDENTIAL
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