GRS 277
SECRET
FM FCO 191545Z SEP 80
SECRET
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 810 OF 18 SEPTEMBER
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
172
ni
AKK 341
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
2 2 SEP 1980
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
t
PA
REGISTR
Action Take
18251 TAP CORY= FOR
48701-
see (1
174A
PEKING TELNO 592 AND YOUR TELNO 1201: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
1. WE TAKE PEKING'S POINT ABOUT AVOIDING SPECULATION ABOUT A
NEW INITIATIVE, PARTICULARLY ON THE FUTURE. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS
CAN BE GOT ROUND BY SKILLFUL PRESS HANDLING. IT SHOULD BE
POSSIBLE TO MAKE CLEAR IN ANSWER TO QUESTIONS THAT THE FUTURE
WAS NOT AN APPROPRIATE SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION WITH THE PROVINCIAL
AUTHORITIES AND THAT YOU WOULD NOT BERAISING IT. AS REGARDS
ILLEGALS, WE JUDGE THAT THERE WILL IN ANY CASE BE PRETTY HEAVY
SPECULATION FOLLOWING THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT. OBVIOUSLY
YOU WILL HAVE TO SAY WHEN YOUR VISIT IS ANNOUNCED THAT YOU WILL
MENTION IMMIGRATION TO XI. THIS MIGHT MARGINALLY INCREASE THE
NUMBERS OF ILLEGAL ATTEMPTS BUT PROBABLY NOT BY MUCH. (IN THE
LONGER TERM OF COURSE THE INITIATION OF 'CHAMPION' WILL MAKE
CLEAR EXACTLY WHY YOU WENT).
2. WE AGREE WITH PEKING THAT ON MAJOR ISSUES OF PRINCIPLE THE DIALOGUE WITH THE CHINESE SHOULD BE WITH THE CENTRAL LEADERSHİP
NOT GUANGDONG. THIS WOULD CERTAINLY APPLY TO QUESTIONS ABOUT NEW
TERRITORIES LEASES AND THE FUTURE. BUT THERE REMAINS VALUE IN A
LINK WITH GUANGDONG. IMMIGRATION IN PARTICULAR HAS NORMALLY BEEN
DEALT WITH ON THIS CHANNEL AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONAL QUESTION,
RATHER THAN ONE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. THE 1974 AGREEMENT WAS AN
EXAMPLE. WE AGREE WITH YOU THAT THERE WOULD BE ADVANTAGE IN YOUR
BEING SEEN TO HAVE TALKED TO XI BEFORE THE NEW MEASURES ARE
ANNOUNCED AND THAT THIS WOULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN A VISIT BY
OFFICIALS.
4
3. WE THEREFORE AGREE TO YOUR PROPOSAL AND TO YOUR TAKING
SOUNDINGS NOW.
CARRINGTON
LIMITED
HK & GD
PS/MR BLAKER PS/PUS
FED
PS PS/LPS
SIR E YOUDE
1
MR DONALD
SECRET
772A
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