UK delegation should report this immediately to the FCO and
circulate a formal rebuttal on the following lines:
'With reference to the statement made by the Chinese
Representative, the UK Representative wishes to inform the meeting that his Government's views on this question were clearly stated in the letter addressed by Her Majesty's
Representative in New York to the Secretary General of the
United Nations on 14 December 1972. [Which reads as follows:]
'I have the honour to refer to General Assmebly Resolution
2906 (XXVIII) of 2 November 1972 and in particular to
paragraph 3, which approved the report of the Special Committee on the situation with regard to the implementation of the declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples covering its work during 1972.
My Government have asked me to inform Your Excellency that, in
view of paragraph 73 of Chapter I of the Report of the
Special Committee (A/8723 (Part I)), they have decided that no
useful practical purpose would be served by continuing to
transmit information on Hong Kong under Article 73E of the
United Nations Charter. My Government have also asked me to state that the action of the General Assembly in no way affects the legal status of Hong Kong. The views of my Government about
this status are well known. They are unable to accpet any differing views which have been expressed or may hereafter be
expressed by other Governments.
↓
I should be grateful if you would circulate this letter as a
General Assembly Document.''
The delegation should ̧.if possible, confine their response to the circulation of a written document.
4. If the Chinese do more than make a simple protest for the record,
or if there are any other doubts, the delegation should formally
reserve their position and seek immediate guidance from the FCO,
repeating any telegram to Peking and Hong Kong.
(39)
CONFIDENTIAL
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