TNAG-1169-FCO40-1449-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 19

GR 348

SECRET

FM PEKING 140642Z APR 82

TO PRIORITY F C O

TELNO 222 OF 14 APRIL

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INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR)

HONG KONG TELNO 328:

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

1198)

никочен

RELAVIC

•

INDL

of 116065

1. FORMAL RECORD FOLLOWS BY BAG, BUT MY TELNO 202 WAS ITSELF THE

FULL RECORD.

86

2. 1 AGREE WITH THE GOVERNOR THAT OUR BEST APPROACH IS TO SEEK TO GET AWAY FROM DENG'S IDEAS ABOUT ADMINISTRATION, WHICH ARE PRIMARILY GOVERNED BY POLITICAL CRITERIA AND, AS THE GOVERNOR SAYS, ARE PROBABLY AT THE MOMENT STILL TENTATIVE. SOME KIND OF JOINT EFFORT TO ANALYSE THE BASIS OF HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY AND ISOLATE THE FACTORS WHICH GOVERN IT SHOULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A DISCUSSION OF ADMINISTRATION AFTER 1997 ON A MORE FAVOURABLE BASIS FOR US. A REPLY TO THE CHINESE MIGHT TAKE THE FORM THAT WE NOTE AND ARE STUDYING THE POLITICAL IDEAS PUT FORWARD BY DENG. MEANWHILE WE SHOULD LIKE TO ENGAGE WITH THE CHINESE ON AN ANALYSIS OF THE BASIS OF HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY, WHICH BOTH SIDES WISH TO SEE MAINTAINED.

3. ON THE MODALITIES, I ADVISE AGAINST PUTTING OUR FAITH IN INDIRECT COMMUNICATION. THE CHINESE EMBASSY IN LONDON CANNOT BE RELIED ON TO REPORT A POINT COMPLETELY ACCURATELY, ESPECIALLY IF IT HAS ANY DEGREE OF SUBTLETY. IN ADDITION, CHINESE OVERSEAS REPRESENTATIVES

ARE LIKELY TO BE HESITANT TO REPORT VIEWS WHICH THEY THINK MAY BE UNWELCOME IN PEKING. WE AVOID THESE HAZARDS BY GOING IN, AS I AM SURE WE COULD DO, AT THE TOP LEVEL OF THE FOREIGN MINISTRY HERE.

4. BUSINESSMEN AND OTHER THIRD PARTIES CAN BE USEFUL, BUT WE CANNOT CONTROL THEM AND SHOULD NOT RELY ABSOLUTELY ON THEM: AS THE GOVERNOR POINTS OUT, SO FAR THEIR EFFORTS HAVE HAD LITTLE EFFECT IN EXPLAINING THE REALITIES OF THE SITUATION TO THE CHINESE,

THOUGH THEY MAY WELL HAVE HAD SOME

CONTRIBUTORY EFFECT IN BRINGING THE CHINESE TO REALISE THAT THE

PROBLEM HAS TO BE FACED.

5. IN SHORT I DO NOT THINK THERE IS A SAFE SUBSTITUTE FOR ACTION BY THIS EMBASSY DIRECTLY WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES.

CRADOCK

see Goo

210

Когда

LIMITED

HKOGD

FED

PS

PS LORD BELSTEAD

PSIPUS

MRG IFFARD

MRDONALD

RESTRICTED