TNAG-1024-FCO40-1274-Visit-by-Lord-Carrington--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-1981 — Page 85

GR 460

Original at: AKK GHoll

This Copy for:

Information only / Action on ET

Para(s)

SECRET

FM HONG KONG 160820Z FEB

TO PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELEGRAM NUMBER 149 OF 16 FEBRUARY, 1981

INFO PRIORITY PEKING.

FOR CLIFT FROM GOVERNOR.

OP COPY

Nick

026/11

RECEIVED MY ALOISTRY NO. 51

17 FEB 1981

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

EKINE

£19.2

YOUR TELNO 142: BRIEFS FOR S OF S'S VISIT TO PEKI

32) HICK CHoll

CHINESE REPRESENTATION

REGISTRY

Action Taken

1. PRESUMABLY BACKGROUND BRIEF WILL POINT OUT THAT OVER LAST 7/8 YEARS THE STANDING ACCESS, PRIVILEGES AND PUBLIC RECOGNITION OF THE 1ST DIRECTOR NCNA AS THE SENIOR OFFICIAL OF THE CPG IN HONG KONG HAVE ALL BEEN ADVANCED TO A POINT AT WHICH FOR PRACTICAL PURPOSES HE IS ALREADY TREATED AS A SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE. NEVERTHELESS THERE IS A LOT IN THE NAME AND THE CHANGE WOULD HAVE CONSIDERABLE IMPACT. MOREOVER THE FUNCTIONS WOULD NEED TO BE DEFINED AND PRESUMABLY A NEW OFFICE OPENED. THIS TOO WOULD HAVE IMPACT. SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL WOULD THEREFORE HAVE TO BE EXTRACTED FROM THE CHINESE THAT WOULD REASSURE THE POPULATION

AS QUID PRO QUO.

2. I SUGGEST THAT IN ADDITION TO THE FORMULATION IN YOUR PARA 3 A FURTHER PARAGRAPH ALONG THE FOLLOWING LINES SHOULD BE ADDED:-

IF THE CHINESE PERSIST, THE S OF S MIGHT SAY THAT WE DO NOT RULE OUT OFFICIAL REPRESENTATION AT SOME STAGE SUBJECT TO DEFINITION OF FUNCTION. BUT THE CHANGE OF NAME WOULD COME AS A SHOCK TO PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WHO WOULD SEE IT IN TERMS OF SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL CHANGE. SO IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY CONCRETE MEASURES TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE RATHER THAN MERE GENERAL ASSURANCES.''

3. I SUGGEST THIS ADDITION BECAUSE, IN SPITE OF MORE EXPERT ADVICE TO THE CONTRARY, I THINK IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MERE COINCIDENCE THAT THE ONLY OCCASION ON WHICH THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN RAISED AT A HIGH LEVEL DURING 5 YEARS (1.E. SINCE 1976), WAS BY HUANG HUA TO ME AFTER I HAD RAISED THE QUESTION OF LEASES WITH DENG IN 1979. THE MFA AT LEAST MAY SEE A LINK BETWEEN PROGRESS ON THE LATTER AND APPOINTMENT OF A SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE. AGREEMENT TO SUCH AN APPOINTMENT WOULD BE À VERY REASONABLE PRICE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING FIRM ON LEASES AND AMENDMENT OF THE 1897 ORDER-IN-COUNCIL.

VISA OFFICE:

4.1 ASSUME THERE WILL BE A BRIEF ON THIS. I RECOMMEND THE LINE SHOULD BE THAT WE SAW THE MFA'S REQUEST FOR A VISA OFFICE AS A SENSIBLE WAY OF DEALING WITH A PRACTICAL PROBLEM. WE HAVE OFFERED EVERYTHING NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT IT COULD CARRY OUT

ITS PRACTICAL FUNCTIONS WITHOUT DIFFICULTY.

SECRET

15. IN THE

새가

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