TNAG-1158-FCO40-1438-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Hong-Kong--1982 — Page 120

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CONFIDENTIAL

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DOUGLAS HURD

25

MP'S LETTER: PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO THE FAR EAST

Problem

1. To reply to a letter from Mr Roger Sims JP MP to the

Lord Privy Seal.

Recommendation

seefy

2. I recommend that, in the Lord Privy Seal's absence abroad,

Mr Hurd reply to Mr Sims on the lines of the attached draft.

Background and Argument

3. The Prime Minister is going to China and Hong Kong in

September. The expectation is growing in Hong Kong that she

will come away from Peking with agreement from the Chinese on

the future of the Territory. Whilst we very much hope that

this happens, we think it unlikely that the Chinese will by

then be ready for substantive discussions. There is therefore

a distinct danger that confidence within Hong Kong in its future

will suffer and we shall be doing what we can to cool speculation

between now and September.

15

هنا

9 March 1982

cc Mr Giffard

R D Clift

Hong Kong and General Department

CONFIDENTIAL

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