TNAG-0850-FCO40-1060-Future-of-Hong-Kong-New-Territories-leases-1979 — Page 233

SEC

1367

1981

GRPS 290

SECRET

M PEKING 03782/6 JUL 79

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 622 OF 6 JULY

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG.

(135

YOUR TELNO.387:

10460/1

Никон

RECEIVES

DESK OFF INDEX

NEW TERRITORIES LEASES.

10. $1

M.

See

ний

04011

1. |

1 CALLED ON ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER SONLEON 5 JULY AND SPOKE AS IN HONG KONG TELNO,899, AMENDED BY PARAGRAPH 1(B) OF HONG KONG TELN0.911. I LEFT A COPY OF THE SPEAKING NOTE WITH SONG AND ADDED ORALLY THAT WHAT WAS BEING PROPOSED REQUIRED NO ACTION ON THE PART OF THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES. BUT IF ASKED WE WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT WE HAD INFORMED THE CHINESE IN ADVANCE OF WHAT WE INTENDED TO DO.

2. ! I ALSO ADDED THAT FURTHER EXPLANATION OF THE ACTION WE PROPOSED TO TAKE WOULD BE MADE TO NONA HONG KONG AS SOON AS THE DIRECTORS RETURNED FROM THEIR CURRENT VISIT TO CHINA, FINALLY,

REMINDED SONG OF THE NEED FOR CONFIDENTIALITY.

3.

SONG SAID THAT VICE-PREMIER DENG HAD CLEARLY EXPLAINED TO THE GOVERNOR THE CHINESE ATTITUDE IN RESPECT OF HONG KONG AND HAD INDICATED "THE DEGREE TO..WHICH WE CAN GO''. ("'WE'' IN THIS CONTEXT MEANS THE CHINESE.) THE GOVERNOR HAD RAISED THE QUESTION OF THE LAND LEASE** I EXPLAINED THAT WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WAS NOT THE NEW TERRITORIES LEASE OF 1398 BUT THE THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL LEAND LEASES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHETHER THERE WAS ANY CONFUSION IN SONG'S MIND SINCE THE CHINESE TERM HE USED COULD BE EITHER SINGULAR OR PLURAL, 3,775 HIS INTERPRETER MADE IT SINGLE IN ENGLISH. IN ANY CASE THE CHINESE WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAR THEIR MINDS WIEN THEY STUDY THE SPEAKING NOTE.

5. SEE M IF T.

CRADOCK

FILE S HK & GD (6)

FED

MR MURRAY

FS

F3/LPS

PS/MR BLAKER 13/PUS

MR RUSHFORD

(LEGAL ADVISER).

SECRET