GRS 200
14
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 22120OZ FCO
TELNO 2616
OF 22101OZ NOVEMBER 85
INFO DESKBY 22120OZ PEKING
HKK 104/3
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 25 NOV 1985
TOP COPY
STRY
: Taken
AJB 25
MY TELNO 2613: PRESS CONFERENCE BY XU JIATUN: ROLE OF NCNA
1. IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS FROM THE TIN TIN DAILY, THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL AND THE EXPRESS, ON THE ROLE OF NCNA, THE MAIN POINTS MADE BY XU WERE AS FOLLOWS:
(A) IN ADDITION TO BEING A NEWS AGENCY, NCNA IS ALSO AN ORGAN
SET UP BY THE STATE COUNCIL.
(B) NCNA IS NOT A SECOND CENTRE OF POWER IN HONG KONG. THE SINO- BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION STATES CLEARLY THAT BRITAIN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UNTIL 1997.
(C) PROVIDED THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG WAS CONDUCTED IN THE INTERESTS OF STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, IN A MANNER FAVOURABLE TO THE HANDOVER OF POWER AFTER 1997, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD WHERE NECESSARY GIVE ITS SUPPORT AND COOPERATION. THIS WAS ALSO PROVIDED FOR IN THE JOINT
DECLARATION.
(D) THE LOCALISATION OF NCNA SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH HONG
KONG PEOPLE RUNNING HONG KONG. THESE WERE TWO SEPARATE
MATTERS.
YOUDE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED HD/HKD HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RES D (MR WALKER)
PS
PS/MR FENTON
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
MR J CROWLEY PUSD
COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS NEWS DEPT MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVS MR MARTIN ABST STAFF
CABINET OFFICE
MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE MR DRC CHRISTOPHER
CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADDOCK NO 10 DOWNING ST. MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS