Mr. Fran
SNORT AND PERSONAL
nem
RJ McLaren Esq
•
FED
FCO
Pige
Dee
Ent
(Enveloped)
British Embassy PEKING
16 july 1981
Dip
FUTURE of
MK
Mach
'Sensihin: Resh
Dear Robin
Cie
AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION CALL ON ET XANNT AN
J Please refer to Peking telegrams 502 and 509 reporting Li's remarks to the Australian parliamentarians about Hong Kong. I enal se herewith a copy of the full record of that meeting. The short passage on Hong Kong appears on its nage 6. It does not go as far as the Australian Ambassador dif when briefing ve orally.
cmally. We took up the matter with the Australian Counsellor, Murray McLean, who took notes at th meeting. McLean confirmed that II had not seld with whom
Li the reactiations should be. Ho aleemid that the word "extensive" which appears in the second line of the paragraph on Hong Kong thould be deleted from our record. Li had not said that and Mclean had not included it in the draft which he submitted to his Ambassador!
2€
The pres have not yet nicked up the point about Kong and the Hong Kong press did not of course get th to debrief them. Li's remarks may eventually leek, perhaps. the parliamen rarions retim to Australia and produce their. report m the r visit. Given this obvious possibility. I think it is mite encouraging that I should have acknowledg the need for
tiations" to such an audience o
3. For the Australians, of course, ils recognition the interests of "other foreign investore" in Hong Kong were involved and is assurance that China would protect interests was on important point. In his letter of 1 Sir B Youde, Sir P Cradock renated that we had heard. Australian concern for their intereste in Hong Kong and they would take a suitable opportunity to express to the Chinese their wish to see the mention of the future sat in good time. The Australian Embassy have told us that the parlementarians visit was not such an opportunity and that Mr Innes' question was his own initiative.. Nevertheless li's reply will be notful to them, if a per on which to hang a future approach on the sub 1.
st
SPORDIT
SECRET AND PERSONAL
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