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5.

AS AGREED (TELECON EHRMAN/RICKETTS), WE ARE PUTTING OUT THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT ON OUR COMMITMENT TO THE JOINT DECLARATION AND OUR HOPES FOR THE JLG MEETING:

'THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS REPEATEDLY MADE CLEAR THAT IS IT

COMMITTED TO THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. IT HAS ALSO REPEATEDLY MADE CLEAR THAT IT IS PREPARED TO HOLD DISCUSSIONS WITHOUT

PRE-CONDITIONS WITH THE CHINESE SIDE ON MATTERS RELATED TO A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN 1997, AS STIPULATED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. LIKE THE CHINESE SIDE, IT HOPES THAT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP MEETING FROM 8-10 DECEMBER WILL BE FRUITFUL'.

6.

ON THE COMPLAINT ABOUT TSANG'S PLANNED VISIT TO TAIWAN, WE ARE STATING:

7.

'THE BRITISH SIDE'S POSITION ON THE QUESTION OF TAIWAN

REMAINS THAT SET OUT IN THE 1972 SINO-BRITISH JOINT COMMUNIQUE. HONG KONG AND TAIWAN ARE BOTH MEMBERS OF THE ASIA PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION FORUM AND HAVE HAD CONTACTS ON ECONOMIC AND TRADE MATTERS IN THAT CONTEXT'.

IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS PLANNED VISIT, TSANG WILL SAY:

'NO DATES FOR A VISIT HAVE BEEN SETTLED'.

PATTEN

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MAIN

.HK POLICY

HKD

PUSD

63

DISTRIBUTION

72

PLANNERS

RAD

PS

FED

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT

.AND MS BROOKS

NEWS D

PS/MR GOODLAD

SIR J COLES MR APPLEYARD

MR HUM

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