GR 250
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY FCO 091000Z
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 0409152 JUL 25
TO IMMEDIATE F F O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1383 OF 6 JULY
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
(PA 01/12)
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: FIRST MEETING OF JOINT LIAISON GROUP
1. THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW CONTAINS AN ARTICLE BY EMILY LAU WHICH STATES THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) BILL HAS AROUSED CONCERN AMONG CHINESE OFFICIALS. THE ARTICLE GOES ON TO SAY THAT -
''A SOURCE AT THE OFFICIAL XINHUA NEWS AGENCY'S HONG KONG BRANCH, WHICH IS PEKING'S REPRESENTATIVE HERE, SAID THEY WERE CONFUSED AND DISTURBED BY THE CONTROVERSY - ESPECIALLY AT ALLEGATIONS THAT THERE WAS A SECRET DEAL BETWEEN BRITISH AND CHINA TO HAND OVER A DOCILE HONG KONG TO CHINA IN 1997. IN VIEW OF THIS, THE SOURCES SAID, XINHUA OFFICIALS ARE PLANNING TO PREPARE AN ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION FOR THE CHINESE TEAM OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP (JLG), WHICH IS TO MEET IN LONDON ON 22 JULY. THE SOURCES SAID THE JLG SET UP TO KEEP PEKING INFORMED OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S PREPARATIONS FOR THE TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE TERRITORY FROM LONDON TO PEKING IN 1997 - WILL PROBABLY NOT DISCUSS THE ISSUE OFFICIALLY, BUT THE CHINESE MEMBERS WOULD NONETHELESS LIKE TO BE FULLY BRIEFED ON IT.''
2. IN THE LIGHT OF THIS, WE SHALL PREPARE DEFENSIVE BRIEFING FOR USE IN CASE THE SUBJECT IS IN THE EVENT RAISED AT THE JLG MEETING OR IN THE MARGINS.
AKERS-JONES
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
80
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 HARDING
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
KR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
OFFICE
MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE ER D B C CHRISTOPHER. CABINET OFF. SIR P CRADDOCK, No. 10 DOWNING ST.
MR J CROWLEY, PUSDKK 011/12
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
INDEX
-CONADENTIAL
OFFICER
PA
801
iken