CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 677
OF 181013Z MAY 93
CONFIDENTIAL
HKC 026/13
กรุ
OP COPY
ra.
26
065471
MDHIAN 1343
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY
UKREP JLG HONG KONG
MIPT: CALL BY LORD CALLAGHAN ON JIANG ZEMIN, 17 MAY
FOLLOWING IS LORD CALLAGHAN'S NOTE ON THE CALL HEADED
ATMOSPHERICS''.
1. ATTACHED IS AN EXCELLENT SUMMARY MADE BY MICHAEL CALLAGHAN OF
MY CONVERSATION WITH JIANG ZEMIN. HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY JIANG ENZHU (WHO HAD BEEN MY INTERPRETER ON A PREVIOUS VISIT).
2.
THE CONVERSATION LASTED ONE AND A HALF HOURS (IT HAD BEEN SET FOR 30 MINUTES). I EMPHASISED THAT AS A LONG STANDING VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ANGLO-CHINESE FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY I SPOKE ONLY FOR
MYSELF BUT I WOULD BE READY TO CONVEY TO MR MAJOR OR MR HURD ANY
COMMENTS THAT HE CARED TO MAKE.
3.
THE GIST OF MY REMARKS WAS THAT HONG KONG WAS AN IMPORTANT BUT
A TRANSIENT PROBLEM. I WAS BASICALLY CONCERNED WITH OUR LONG-TERM JOINT RELATIONS, AND IT WOULD NOT BE IN OUR JOINT LONG-TERM INTERESTS IF HONG KONG WERE TO CAUSE A BREACH. IT SEEMED TO ME THAT EVENTS WERE DRIFTING IN THAT DIRECTION UNLESS AN EFFORT WAS MADE TO HALT THEM, FOR THE TALKS ON HONG KONG WERE GETTING NOWHERE.
4. IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR CHINA TO TAKE OVER A STABLE HONG KONG AS
FOR BRITAIN TO LEAVE IT WITH OUR SELF-RESPECT INTACT. SO THE PROBLEM WAS POLITICAL AS WELL AS ONE OF LEGAL INTERPRETATIONS OF
AGREEMENTS. MR MAJOR HAD HIS PROBLEMS TO RECONCILE CONFLICTING PRESSURES FROM DOMESTIC QUARTERS. (THIS PROMPTED JIANG'S REMARK ABOUT HIS PROBLEMS WITH THE SOCIALIST MARKET ECONOMY.) I SAID IF
THE TALKS GOT NOWHERE I COULD FORESEE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT
INTRODUCING THE LEGISLATION BASED ON THE OCTOBER PROPOSALS. THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD THEN REACT AND NEITHER OF US WOULD BE ANY BETTER OFF. I EMPHASISED THE POSSIBILITY OF CHANGE OF AGREEMENT AND SAID THAT SPEAKING PERSONALLY I THOUGHT THAT THE LARGE
EXTENSION OF THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES ELECTORATE BY FIVE TIMES WAS A LARGE MOUTHFUL TO SWALLOW AT ONE GULP. BUT IF THERE WAS TO
BE ANY CHANGE IT SHOULD BE DONE AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE.
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