CONFIDENTIAL
OCMIAN 0746
CONFIDENTIAL
OO HOKON
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
151230Z JAN
GRS 240
1000 40011
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
14 JAN 1987
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 112
OF 151230Z JANUARY 87
OFFICER
INDLA
PA
29
Taken
32
COPY C DIST ?
10746 - 1
YOUR TELNO 172: APPOINTMENT OF NEW GOVERNOR: MEDIA ARRANGEMENTS
1.
PARA 3 OF TUR: WE AGREE THAT THE NEW GOVERNOR MUST BE
GIVEN A LINE TO TAKE ON THE WALLED CITY. WE ASSUME THAT THE TWO
MOST LIKELY QUESTIONS (YOUR TELNO 157 ALSO REFERS) ARE ON
SOVEREIGNTY AND APPLICATION OF HONG KONG LAW.
2.
ON SOVEREIGNTY WE SHALL PROVIDE THE NEW GOVERNOR WITH THE
STANDARD DEFENSIVE LINE ENCLOSED WITH PEIRCE'S LETTER OF 5
JANUARY TO LAYDEN: QUOTE BRITAIN AND CHINA AGREE THAT THE JOINT
DECLARATION HAS PROVIDED A BASIS FOR BUILDING A FUTURE FOR THE
WHOLE OF HONG KONG. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN ADDRESSED BY BOTH SIDES
AS A PRACTICAL MATTER. UNQUOTE.
3.
ON APPLICATION OF HONG KONG LAW THE ISSUE CANNOT BE SO
EASILY SIDESTEPPED. IN ANSWER TO THE DIRECT QUESTION QUOTE DOES
HONG KONG LAW APPLY/HAS IT ALWAYS APPLIED TO THE WALLED CITY?
UNQUOTE WE DO NOT THINK THE NEW GOVERNOR COULD SAY LESS THAN
QUOTE IN OUR VIEW, YES UNQUOTE. HE COULD OF COURSE GO ON TO
REITERATE THAT WE ARE VERY GLAD THAT THIS LONG-STANDING QUESTION
HAS NOW BEEN RESOLVED IN A PRACTICAL WAY.
4. FOR RESPONSES TO OTHER POSSIBLE QUESTIONS ON THE WALLED CITY
WE PROPOSE TO RELY ON THE DEFENSIVE MATERIAL ENCLOSED WITH
PEIRCE'S LETTER.
1
CONFIDENTIAL
15.