TNAG-1171-FCO40-1452-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 83

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

OO HONG KONG DESKBY 210100Z

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DESKBY HONG KONG 21010OZ

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DESKBY PEKING 2101002

FROM FCO 19170OZ MAY 82

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG (PERSONAL)

TELEGRAM NUMBER 381 OF 20 MAY

AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR)

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FOR HADDON-CAVE EROM DONALD

YOUR TEL NOS 523 AND 524: FUTURE OF HONG KONG

Tu can it?

LA

1. I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS REPORT. WE ARE NOT

SUBMITTING THESE TELEGRAMS UNTIL WE HAVE PERCY CRADOCK'S

VIEWS AND ANY ADDITIONAL POINTS BY THE GOVERNOR WHEN HE HAS

TIME TO FOCUS AFTER ARRIVAL. MEANWHILE OUR INITIAL COMMENTS

ARE AS FOLLOWS.

2.

WE AGREE THAT MANY OF HUAN'S POINTS TO THE AUSTRALIANS

ARE A LOGICAL EXTENSION OF AN EXTREME INTERPRETATION

OF DENG'S REMARKS TO MR HEATH. BUT THERE ARE

INCONSISTENCIES WHICH RAISE THE QUESTIONS:

A. WITH WHAT AUTHORITY WAS HUAN SPEAKING?

AS YOU SUGGEST

HE MAY HAVE BEEN GIVING A PERSONAL GLOSS ON OFFICIAL

BRIEFING.

B.

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HOW ACCURATE IS THE AUSTRALIAN REPORT, GIVEN THAT THE DFA ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE NUANCES? IN THE

AUSTRALIAN LIST OF POINTS QUOTED IN YOUR TEL NO 524

THERE IS SOME FLAVOUR OF LEADING QUESTIONING AND A SERIES OF NON-SEQUITURS IN (E) (E.G. CHINA WOULD WANT TO SEE THE

INSTITUTIONS OF HONG KONG REMAIN BUT WOULD EXERCISE DIRECT

CONTROL OVER A NUMBER OF AREAS). I AGREE THAT (E) AS A WHOLE

GOES MUCH FURTHER THAN THE TAIWAN POINTS.

C. WHY DID HUAN NOT TAKE THE SAME LINE WITH YOU AS WITH

THE AUSTRALIANS?

3.

WITH THESE PROVISOS, HUAN'S REMARKS (EVEN SET AGAINST

HIS CAUTIOUS LINE WITH YOU) ARE DISTURBING ESPECIALLY IN

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