UNCLASSIFIED
072373
MDLIAN 9304
ALTHOUGH CHINA WAS OPPOSED TO THE BRITISH NATIONALITY PACKAGE AND THE DRAFT BILL OF RIGHTS, IT WAS WILLING TO RESUME DISCUSSIONS WITH THE BRITISH ON MATTERS RELATED TO THE CHANGEOVER OF SOVEREIGNTY. HE SAID THAT THE CHINESE WERE NO LONGER OPPOSED TO THE REMOVAL OF THE NAVAL BASE OF HMS TAMAR TO STONECUTTERS ISLAND.
OTHERS
WOULD
9. THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT THE SHIP ''GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY
NOT BE GIVEN PERMISSION TO COME INTO HONG KONG BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT HAD A POLICY HERE OF MAKING SURE THAT HONG KONG IS NOT USED AS A BATTLE FIELD FOR OTHER PEOPLE'S POLITICAL BATTLES. CHINESE OFFICIALS, INCLUDING ZHOU NAN, SAID THAT HKG'S DECISION ON THIS ISSUE WAS RIGHT. THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL (4.5) QUOTE FCO SOURCES AS SAYING THAT IF THE SHIP WAS ALLOWED TO COME TO HONG KONG, IT MIGHT CAUSE DIPLOMATIC PROBLEMS IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA. THE SOURCES SAID THAT BOTH THE BRITISH AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS WOULD DO THEIR BEST TO PREVENT THE SHIP FROM COMING INTO HONG KONG.
10. THE CHINESE STATE COUNCIL WAS TRYING TO LOOK FOR A SUCCESSOR TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, JI PENGFEI, WITHIN THE OFFICE AFTER JI RETIRED, THE HK ECONOMIC TIMES (7.5) REPORTED. THE PAPER SAID THAT IT WAS MOST LIKELY THAT ONE OF HIS DEPUTIES, LI HOU OR LU PING, WOULD SUCCEED HIM.
WILSON
YYYY
MAIN
70
DISTRIBUTION
80
.HK AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNERS
HD/CONSULAR D
NEWS D DEFENCE D
PUSD
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/LORD BRABAZON
PS/PUS
MR P J WESTON
MR MCLAREN
SIR A WATTS
MR BURNS
MR MOSS
MR BLATHERWICK
PS
ADDITIONAL
HK AGREEMENT
NNNN
10
PAGE
3
UNCLASSIFIED
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