TNAG-1172-FCO40-1453-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 44

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NEGOTIATIONS. THE EFFECT OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS WOULD BE

TO INVOLVE US IN PRELIMINARY NEGOTIATIONS AND LEAVE THE PRIME

MINISTER NOTHING TO SAY.

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6. AS REGARDS POSSIBLE VISITS BY THE GOVERNOR TO CHINA, AS I POINTED OUT IN MY TELEGRAM NO 212, I STRONGLY ADVISE AGAINST A

VISIT TO PEKING BEFORE THE PRIME MINISTER COMES. SUCH A VISIT

WOULD ATTRACT GREAT ATTENTION, WOULD GIVE THE IMPRESSION OF A BREAKTHROUGH, AND WOULD SET EXPECTATIONS IMPOSSIBLY HIGH FOR THE

PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT WITH THE RISK OF A LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IF

SUCH HOPES WERE NOT REALISED. WE HAVE ALL ALONG AGREED ON THE

NEED TO AVOID SETTING SIGHTS TOO HIGH FOR THE PRIME MINISTER'S

VISIT, PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF THE RELATIVELY MODEST RESULTS THAT

WE CAN EXPECT. I NOTE THE GOVERNOR WOULD HIMSELF PREFER TO DEFER

A VISIT UNTIL AFTER THE PRIME MINISTER HAS BEEN.

7. A VISIT TO CANTON COULD BE MORE EASILY EXPLAINED. IT WOULD BE

NATURAL FOR THE GOVERNOR AT SOME POINT TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE

PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES THERE. IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO ADD A

TALK THERE WITH LIAO CHENGZHI WITHOUT ATTRACTING ATTENTION,

THOUGH WE SHOULD HAVE TO BE CAREFUL. IN ANY TALK WITH LIAO THE GOVERNOR MIGHT WISH TO SPEAK ABOUT THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL

REQUIREMENTS FOR HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY ALONG THE LINES OF SIR

MURRAY MACLEHOSE'S TALK WITH WANG KUANG ON 8 APRIL. BUT FOR THE REASONS GIVEN ABOVE, HE SHOULD NOT GO INTO THE QUESTION OF SOVEREIGNTY AND IT MAY BE FELT THAT SUCH A TALK WOULD HARDLY JUSTIFY GETTING LIAO TO A SPECIAL MEETING.

(1988)

8. THERE ARE THEREFORE CERTAIN PRELIMINARY COMMUNICATIONS WE

MIGHT MAKE TO THE CHINESE IN ADVANCE OF MRS THATCHER'S VISIT, BUT THE WAY THINGS HAVE WORKED OUT, THEY ARE LIMITED. THE PROPER AND

MOST DISCREET CHANNEL IS THIS EMBASSY. THE FORMAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

OF DENG'S PROPOSAL SHOULD GO THIS WAY AND COULD EASILY BE HANDLED BY MR ATKINSON WHO WILL BE IN CHARGE IN MY ABSENCE. IN THE LIGHT

OF WHAT HAS BEEN DECIDED IN WHITEHALL AN INDICATION OF OUR MINIMUM

OBJECTIVE COULD BE GIVEN TO THE CHINESE AT THE END OF AUGUST WHEN

1 RETURN FROM LEAVE. THIS IS WHEN THE CHINESE WILL EXPECT ME TO

HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. ZHANG WENJIN EXPECTS TO BE ABROAD DURING

AUGUST.

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19. On