TNAG-1038-FCO40-1288-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 192

3. LORD CARRINGTON SAID THAT WE WISHED TO FIND A SOLUTION

TO THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM WHICH DID NOT EMBARRASS THE CHINESE

POLITICALLY. THE DIFFICULTY WAS THAT GENERAL ASSURANCES

WERE NOT ENOUGH. IF CONFIDENCE WAS TO BE

WERE NOT ENOUGH.

IF CONFIDENCE WAS TO BE PRESERVED, SOMETHING WOULD

ULD NEED TO BE DONE ON THE BRITISH SIDE, THOUGH

THIS WOULD, OF COURSE, BE ENTIRELY WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE CHINESE POSITION. PERHAPS THERE COULD BE TALKS WITH CHINESE

OFFICIALS LATER ON.

4*

HUANG HUA RECALLED THAT THE UK HAD MADE PROPOSALS IN

1979 AND THAT THE CHINESE HAD THEN MADE THEIR POSITION

CLEAR. LORD CARRINGTON EXPLAINED THAT THESE PROPOSALS HAD

NOW BEEN DROPPED: THE UK WOULD NOT WISH TO TAKE ANY ACTION

WITH WHICH THE CHINESE DISAGREED. HUANG HUA ASKED WHETHER THE

BRITISH SIDE HAD ANY OTHER IDEAS. LORD CARRINGTON REPLIED THAT THERE WERE NONE WHICH HE WISHED TO PUT FORWARD NOW. HE HAD SIMPLY WISHED TO CONVEY THE ANXIETY FELT BY PEOPLE

IN HONG KONG THAT THERE COULD BE A RAPID LOSS OF CONFIDENCE BY INVESTORS. THIS WOULD BE IN NEITHER BRITAIN'S NOR CHINA'S INTERESTS. THE BEST WAY FORWARD MIGHT BE FOR BOTH SIDES

TO REFLECT ON POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS AND THEN DISCUSS THE MATTER

FURTHER.

CRADOCK

STANDARD

Нк тад FED

2

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