TNAG-0850-FCO40-1060-Future-of-Hong-Kong-New-Territories-leases-1979 — Page 119

CỌ HƯNG NÔNG

GR 250

SECRET

FM FCO 261805Z SEP 79

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

Никонов

RECEIVED HERESY NO. 51 2 7 SEP 1979

INDEX

REGISTRY

199

No/ дно

See (200) (201)

013

JTION

TELEGRAM NUMBER 773 OF 26 SEPTEMBER

AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

194 4 190

FROM MCLAREN. PEKING TELS NOS 325-627: NEW TERRITORIES LEASES. 1. WE ARE AWAITING YOUR VIEWS BEFORE SUBMITTING TO MINISTERS. IN THE MEANTIME, WHILE WE WILL DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO AINTAIN SECRECY WE THINK IT PRUDENT TO HAVE A LINE PEADY FOR USE WITH THE PRESS IN CASE THERE IS A LEAK.

2. MUCH DEPENDS ON HOW ACCURATE AND DETAILED ANY LEAK IS. WE WOULD HOPE TO GET AWAY WITH A PLAND STATEMENT ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:- QUOTE IN THE PRESENT EXCELLENT STATE OF ANGLO-CHINESE RELATIONS

THERE ARE OF COURSE FREQUENT DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE AUTHO- RITIES ON QUESTIONS AFFECTING HONG KONG.

BRITAIN AND CHINA HAVE A UTUAL INTEREST IN THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG. WHEN VICE-PREMIER DENG XIACPING RECEIVED SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE IN MARCH THIS YEAR HE ASKED THE GOVERNOR TO TELL

INVESTORS TO PUT THEIR HEARTS AT FARE. IT IS CLEAR THAT OST INVESTORS TAKE A POSITIVE VIEW OF THE PROSPECTS IN HONG KONG. UNQUOTE

3. IF WE WEPE ASKED SPECIFICALLY WHETHER WE HAD PUT TO THE CHINESE PROPOSALS FOR CHANGES IN LAND LEASES IN THE MEW TERRITORIES WE SHOULD REFUSE TO BE DRAWN. BUT IF APPROPRIATE WE WOULD ADD:-

QUOTE THERE HAVE BEEN NO DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN WHEN THE NEW TERRITORIES LEASE EXPIRES. AS MF BLAKER SAID IN HONG KONG ON 25 SEPTEMBER, THIS IS A MATTER FOR THE

FUTURE. UNQUOTE

4. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR EARLY COMMENTS, AND FOR THOSE OF HAMBASSADOR IN PEKING.

CARRINGTON

NNNN