TNAG-0849-FCO40-1059-Future-of-Hong-Kong-New-Territories-leases-1979 — Page 132

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5. MEANWHILE, IN ANSWER TO PRESS QUERIES, WE WILL REFRAIN FROM

ANY OFFICIAL COMMENT. OFF THE RECORD WE WILL SAY THAT WE DO NOT

KNOW WHAT SUNG ACTUALLY SAID. BUT HE WAS OBVIOUSLY MAINLY

CONCERNED WITH RE-SMPHASISING DENG'S ASSURANCE THAT INVESTORS

SHOULD FEEL CONFIDENT. THE REASSERTION OF CHINA'S POSITION THAT

HONG KONG IS CHINESE TERRITORY IS PART OF A STANDARD FORMULATION

AS WAS POINTED OUT IN MY PRESS CONFERENCE ON 6 APRIL. THERE IS

NO INCONSISTENCY IN WHAT SUNG IS ALLEGED TO HAVE SAID AND MY

NEGATIVE RESPONSE TO A QUESTION AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE ABOUT

WHETHER THE LEASE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP,

AS WAS SAID THEN THE VISIT WAS ONE OF GOODWILL AND NOT FOR

NEGOTIATING.

MACLEHOSE

FILE S

HK & GD (6)

FED

NEWS D

OID

IPD

PUSD

PS

PS/MR BLAKER PS/PUS

SIR A DUFF

MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY

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