TNAG-1025-FCO40-1275-Visit-by-Lord-Carrington--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-1981 — Page 12

Original at: HICK ouoll

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EPS SC

CONFIDENTIAL.

HKCK ozolz

RECEIVED IN RISESTRY NO. 51

13 APR 1981

DESK OFFICER

62H

CONFIDEN MAL

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

FM HONG KONG 310857Z MAR

مثل

721.4.

TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELEGRAM NUMBER 358 OF 31 MARCH, 1981

AKIĆ our

RECEIVED Ai 14&DIY MO.

COAPRIT

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING.

FOLLOWING FROM PRIVATE SECRETARY.

FUTURE OF HONG KONG.

1. THIS QUESTION WAS RAISED AT LORD CARRINGTON'S MEETING WITH UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS TE

"OTHE MORNING. ASKED ABOUT HIS CURRENT THINKING ON THE PROBLEM, SECRETARY OF STATE SAID THAT THE LONG TERM OBJECTIVE WAS TO MAINTAIN THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS AS NEARLY AS POSSIBLE. HE DOUBTED WHETHER THE CHINESE HAD YET GIVEN MUCH THOUGHT TO THE PROBLEM BUT WOULD TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY HAD IN MIND DURING HIS TALKS WITH CHINESE LEADERS IN PEKING. HE WOULD EXPLAIN THE FACTS OF THE SITUATION TO THEM, FACTS WHICH SUGGESTED THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO CHANGE IN THE PRESENT SITUATION. HE DID NOT EXPECT TO GET VERY FAR BUT HE WOULD CERTAINLY PUT HIS TOE IN THE WATER.

THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LEGAL APPROACH OF THE BRITISH AND THE FACT THAT THE CHINESE DID NOT RECOGNISE THE TREATIES. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO KNIT THESE TWO APPROACHES TOGETHER.

2. HE SUSPECTED THAT DENG XIAOPING THOUGHT HE HAD DISPOSED OF THE PROBLEM. HE WOULD TRY TO SECURE A REITERATION OF DENG'S ASSURANCES, IF HE COULD NOT GET ANYTHING BETTER. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THEIR OBLIGATIONS TOWARDS HONG KONG.

3. F.C.O. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS WAS A PRIVATE MEETING, AND THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL BE SPEAKING MUCH LESS FRANKLY ON THIS SUBJECT AT THIS EVENING'S PRESS CONFERENCE. THE ABOVE SHOULD

THEREFORE NOT REPEAT NOT BE USED BY NEWS DEPARTMENT.

MACLEHOSE

STANDARD HRGD (4)

FED

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CONFIDENTAL

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