CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 011/3
(327)
020420 MDLIAN 6832
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 725
OF 280514Z APRIL 89
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
HONG KONG TELNO 1320.
322
FA C: CHINESE VIEWS ON REFERENDUM.
1. PARA 4 OF TUR: OUR BEST GUESS IS THAT INDIVIDUAL F A C MEMBERS MAY HAVE SPOKEN INFORMALLY TO THE PRESS, OR BEEN OVERHEARD DISCUSSING THE REFERENDUM QUESTION, IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THEIR VISIT. SHORE AND ROWLANDS WERE CLEARLY INTERESTED IN THE CONCEPT AND MENTIONED IT IN OUR IN-HOUSE BRIEFING SESSION ON 22 APRIL, THOUGH THERE WAS NO OPPORTUNITY ON THAT OCCASION TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE CHINESE ATTITUDES.
2.
I HAVE NOW RE-CHECKED MY NOTES AND CAN CONFIRM THAT THE PRE-1997 REFERENDUM IDEA WAS NEVER DIRECTLY RAISED WITH THE CHINESE. THE ONLY INDIRECT REFERENCE WAS SHORE'S REPORTED IN PARA 6 OF MY TELNO 699, WHICH THE CHINESE DID NOT IN ANY CASE ANSWER EXPLICITLY. A PRESS LEAK ON THE CHINESE SIDE CAN THUS A FORTIORI BE RULED OUT. EMBASSY CONTACTS WITH THE PRESS DURING THE VISIT WERE LIMITED TO CONFIRMING PROGRAMME DETAILS.
DONALD
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
52
ΜΑΙΝ
49
.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
. (RESTRICTED)
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH (FE)
PUSD
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR EGGAR
MR GILLMORE
MR MCLAREN
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CONFIDENTIAL