}
HKC340/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
From:
RA Bns
News Department
Date:
17 January 1990
CC:
PS/Mr Maude
Mr McLaren
1390
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
Head, HKD
Mr Lidington
Mr Yeo
Private Secretary
HONG KONG: CHINESE STATEMENT ON BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS LDERS
File:
1.
I attach a copy of the AP report of the statement today by Lu Ping. Although this seems to be the fullest account yet available on the wires, it contains a number of obscurities. In the
past we have found that reports of this kind have reflected Chinese musings prompted by aggressive questioning from the Hong Kong media. They have not always been upheld subsequently.
2. We only became aware of this report shortly before the Secretary of State's statement in the House. As you know, we sought to get more details and to feed through such guidance as we could develop in the time available.
3. In the press lobby this was the issue which attracted most attention (blotting out interest in ivory). In briefing I took the following line:
this press report contains a number of obscurities. We would
need to find out more exactly what had been said and how authorititatively before providing any firm reaction.
We
The Basic Law Drafting Committee had clearly been focussing upon the issues set out in JD 74 of the Joint Declaration. would need to establish what, if anything, had now been precisely proposed. No doubt the Hong Kong drafters would be reporting back to Hong Kong. We had our own private lines to the Chinese about Basic Law drafting through which we could
a