TNAG-1169-FCO40-1449-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 14

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Mr Heath has relayed it correctly to the British Government.

But it was to be expected that the opening Chinese position

would be a hard one, ie insisting on sovereignty and going for

the same kind of solution as they offered to Taiwan in the

autumn of last year.

3. Sir E Youde has sent his own comments to HM Ambassador

in Peking and the Governor of Hong Kong about the Heath/Deng

discussion (copy attached). I entirely agree that we should

not get drawn into substantive discussions with the Chinese before we are ready for them. It will be extremely important

to get the Prime Minister fully briefed between now and her

visit in September.

4.

I hope the Secretary of State will agree to have an oral

briefing about the future of Hong Kong when time permits and

before the main briefing of the Prime Minister in May.

15 April 1982

cc: Mr Elliott

Mr Clift

Artmald

A E Donald

1. If the Secretary of State invites Mr Heath to a further

discussion Lord Belstead would be grateful if he could be included,

if the Secretary of State felt that appropriate. But as a

first step he supports the recommendation in para 4 of

Mr Donald's minute.

Акксияны

M A Arthur

16 April 1982

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PS/Lord Belstead