TNAG-1166-FCO40-1446-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 101

SECRET

(158)

COMMENT

5. THE SUBSTANCE OF PARAGRAPHS 2 AND 3 ABOVE WAS PRINTED IN

THE SCMP. IT IS ODD THAT THE PRESS HAVE BECOME INTERESTED IN

THE IDEA OF A TREATY OF FRIENDSHIP, AND ZHONG HAS DONE NOTHING TO DI SABUSE THEM OF THE IDEA. PARAGRAPH 3 MAINLY FOLLOWS THE

LINE TAKEN BY

THE LPS WITH

THE PRESS. THE FIFTH SENTENCE DISAGREES WITH, AND PERHAPS SUPERSEDES, YK PAO'S CLAIM THAT HUANG HUA HAD SAID IT WAS UP TO US TO PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS (HONG KONG TELNO 803 TO YOU).

6. PARAGRAPH & ABOVE, WHICH DID NOT APPEAR IN THE SCMP ARTICLE, AGAIN DRAWS ATTENTION TO SOVEREIGNTY AS THE NUB OF THE QUESTION.

CRADOCK

Redacted under FOI exemption section 27(1)

HK TEL 302

10

LIMITED

HD/HK & GD

HD/FED

1

PS

PS/LPS

PS/PUS

MR DONALD *

2

SECRET