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FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELNO 42
OF 16172OZ JANUARY 91
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
60
YOUR TELNO 49: PRESS LINE
1.
TOP COPY Q DIST?
NEWS DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN DRAWING ON THE FOLLOWING PRESS
LINES.
2.
ON 14 JANUARY, ON THE EXPERT TALKS AND PADS:
- STILL STUDYING REPORTS OF DISCUSSIONS BUT DISAPPOINTED THAT MORE PROGRESS WAS NOT MADE AND WITH STATEMENTS MADE BY CHINESE SPOKESMEN AFTER TALKS.
- IF HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY ARE TO BE MAINTAINED, IMPORTANT FOR IT TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ITS INFRASTRUCTURE. VERY HIGH ON LIST OF PRIORITIES IS THE NEW AIRPORT TO REPLACE KAI TAK, WHICH WILL BECOME SATURATED BY THE MID-1990S.
ARE CHINESE UNDERMINING HKG?
UNDER THE JOINT DECLARATION, HMG IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF THE MAINTENANCE OF PROSPERITY AND STABILITY UNTIL 30 JUNE 1997. ALSO UNDER THE JOINT DECLARATION THE CHINESE WILL GIVE THEIR COOPERATION IN THIS CONNECTION.
HAVE WE PROTESTED AT CHINESE PRESS BRIEFING?
NOT OUR PRACTICE TO COMMENT ON THE CONTENTS OF DIPLOMATIC EXCHANGES. BUT WE WERE CERTAINLY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE STATEMENTS MADE BY THE CHINESE AFTER THE TALKS, BOTH IN TONE AND SUBSTANCE.
HAVE WE CALLED IN CHINESE AMBASSADOR?
-
WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR THAT IS WHAT EMBASSIES ARE FOR.
-
AFTER ALL
ON 16 JANUARY, ON CHINESE COMMENTS ON THE TRANSITION PERIOD:
3.
A
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