HKC2821
REC
CONFIDENTIAL
12 FEB 1991
BAR
PM.8/2.
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 431
OF 07114OZ FEBRUARY 91
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
(12)
021472
MDHIAN 2758
YOUR TELNO 255 : OBSERVER ARTICLE ON HONG KONG NEGOTIATIONS
1. THE OBSERVER ARTICLE WAS COVERED BY THE HONG KONG STANDARD AND WEN WEI PO ON 4 FEBRUARY. COPIES FOLLOW BY FAX TO PAUL, HKD, AND PEKING. YOU WILL SEE THAT WEN WEI PO USES THE STORY TO CLAIM THAT SOME BRITISH STILL WANT TO GO ON RULING HONG KONG AND TO SAY THAT THIS IN THE CAUSE OF MANY DISPUTES BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN.
2. IN A SHORT (LESS THAN 10 MINUTES) INTERVIEW ON HIS FORTHCOMING BOOK ON RADIO 3, STEVE VINES REPEATED THE MAIN LINES OF HIS STORY.
3. THERE HAS BEEN NO FOLLOW-UP MEDIA INTEREST. WE DOUBT WHETHER THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAVE PAID ANY ATTENTION TO THE STORY. IT MAY, HOWEVER, RESURFACE WHEN I SPEAK AT THE FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS CLUB LATER THIS MONTH SINCE VINES INCLUDES ME AS ONE OF THE MINOR VILLAINS.
4. I AM CONTENT WITH YOUR PROPOSED CONTINGENCY LINE, EXCEPT THAT IT WOULD BE WORTH ALSO MAKING THE POINT THAT BY THE LATE 1970'S THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN HONG KONG WAS BECOMING SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT ALL LAND LEASES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES EXPIRED IN JUNE 1997. THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF 'PRESSURE ON THE HKG/HMG TO DO SOMETHING TO CLARIFY THE POSITION.
WILSON
YYYY
1
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL