TNAG-0941-FCO40-1160-Visit-by-Lord-Carrington--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-1980 — Page 132

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op only/Action on

GR 230

SECRET

FM HONG KONG 170921Z SEP 80

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

SECRET

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1194 OF 17 SEPTEMBER

FOR SIR EDWARD YOUDE

FROM POLITICAL ADVISER

كما

некога

RECEIVED MARASC

15 SEP 1980

BESK DEC, NDEX

ملا

PA

22.1

mar

also at:HKKoHoli

ممله

Аінкк

1. WE SPOKE ABOUT THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S BRIEF ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND I HAVE DISCUSSED WITH THE GOVERNOR. HE AGREES THAT IT WOULD BE WRONG TO SUGGEST THAT WE ARE READY TO OPEN A DIALOGUE ON THE LONG-TERM FUTURE WHEN OUR OWN IDEAS ON WHAT TO

SAY ARE NOT CLEAR. HE THEREFORE SUGGESTS THAT IN THE SPEAKING NOTES IN PARA 1, THE LAST SENTENCE AND PERHAPS THE PENULTIMATE SENTENCE SHOULD BE OMITTED, AND THAT THE FIRST SENTENCE OF PARA 5 SHOULD BE TONED DOWN TO SAY THAT IT WAS NOT TOO SOON TO START THINKING SERIOUSLY ABOUT THE LONGER TERM FUTURE OF HONG KONG.

2. ALSO IN PARA 5 HE SUGGESTS:-

(A) FOR **NEW TERRITORIES LEASES'' SUBSTITUTE INDIVIDUAL LEASES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES''.

(B) DELETE ''NEED NOT AFFECT' AND SUBSTITUTE AVOIDS AFFECTING".

3. GENERALLY SPEAKING THE GOVERNOR SAYS HE HAS HAD DIFFICULTY COMMENTING ON THIS BRIEF BECAUSE OF ITS FORMAT AND BECAUSE THE ABSENCE OF THE COVERING NOTE LEAVES UNCLEAR WHAT EMPHASIS EACH SPEAKING POINT IS TO BE ACCORDED. HE THEREFORE HOPES THERE WILL BE TIME TO DISCUSS THE BRIEF IN HONG KONG. IN ANY CASE HE PRESUMES THE COVERING NOTE WILL MAKE THE OBVIOUS POINT THAT SINCE THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS NEWLY FORMED AND PREOCCUPIED WITH DOMESTIC AFFAIRS IT IS A BAD TIME TO PRESS IT ON AN ISSUE AS POLITICALLY DIFFICULT AS THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, AND THAT IN ANY CASE THERE IS NO IMMEDIATE NEED TO DO SO, THOUGH THE SUBJECT SHOULD BE MENTIONED.

MACLEHOSE

LIMITED

55

48

HKM D

FED

PS

PS/MR BLAKER Psi Pus

SIR.E. YOUDE MR DONALD

SECRET