TNAG-1231-FCO40-1544-Visit-by-Richard-Luce--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Com-1983 — Page 73

GR 4000 UNCLASSIFIED

DESKBY 28143OZ WASHINGTON, UKMIS NEW YORK

FM HONG KONG 28125OZ SEP 83

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1430 OF 28 SEPTEMBER

027/20

HKK 027/20.

RECEIVED INJE

AND TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON (FOR NGHAM, PM'S PARTKID WKMIEN SELECTORS

NEW YORK (FOR GOULDEN, S OF S'S PARTY), PEKINDIS

FOR NEWS DEPT FROM ROBERTS.

Spik

INDEX

200

RETRY Action Taken

MIPT: FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF THE QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION

Q: BY NICK BEACROFT, RADIO HONG KONG: MINISTER, YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, OR AS MANY AS POSSIBLE, HAVE THEIR VIEWS ON THE FUTURE BEEN UNANIMOUS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER?

A: WELL, FIRST OF ALL I'VE BEEN IMPRESSED BY THE FACT THAT DURING ALL THESE VARIOUS MEETINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ARRANGED AND VERY EFFICIENTLY SO IN THINK ALMOST EVERYBODY WHO'S HAD A CHANCE SITTING IN THOSE ROOMS HAS BEEN ABLE TO EXPRESS THEIR OWN PERSONAL OPINIONS AND THE OPINIONS FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT IN MANY CASES ARE REPRESENTING PARTICULAR SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY. I GOT VERY MUCH THE FEELING THAT THE VAST MAJORITY WERE EXPRESSING THE IR VIEWS VERY FREELY AND VERY FULLY. IF YOU LIKE A COMMON STRAND THAT WAS COMING THROUGH WAS THE ASPIRATION AND THE STRONG DESIRE TO PRESERVE ALL THE FREEDOMS AND THE BASES, IF YOU LIKE, OF A STABLE SOCIETY THAT EXISTS TODAY IN HONG KONG. THAT FULLY UNDERSTAND.

Q: BY SHMON FUNG FROM RADIO HONG KONG: MINISTER, COULD YOU TELL US IN MEETING VARIOUS GROUPS OF PEOPLE DO YOU THINK THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE HERE IN HONG KONG WANT THE BRUTHSH TO STAY BEYOND 1997?

A: WELL, NOW THANK WHAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND- AND

T'S FOR THEM INCIDENTALLY, YOU'RE A FRES SOCIETY TOO TO EXPRESS THEIR OWN VIEWS AS THEY WISH 4N PUBLIC OR IN PRIVATE ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN INCLINATIONS — › THINK SENSE THAT ABOVE ALL WHAT THEY WANT IS IN LINE WITH WHAT OUR OBJECTIVE IS AND THAT IS THE CONTINUATION AND THE CONTINUING CONSTRUCTION OF A STABLE AND PROSPEROUS COUNTRY. THAT IS, BELIEVE, WHAT THEY WANT AND THAT

HAVE REASSURED THEM, AS REASSURE YOU, IS VERY MUCH OUR OBJECTIVE. NOW, CLEARLY # WOULDN'T WUSH TO GO BEYOND THAT IN TERMS OF THE DETAILS OF THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE REASONS THAT I'VE DESCRIBED, BUT THAT WE HAVE A COMMON ASPIRATION ON A COMMON OBJECTIVE AS QUITE CLEAR.

Q: BY GERALD RAY, REUTERS: MINISTER, YOU SAID THAT THERE WOULD BE BUFFETINGS ON THE WAY TO A SOLUTION. THOSE BUFFETINGS ARE BOUND TO AFFECT THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND IN PARTICULAR THE LOCAL CURRENCY: IS THERE ANYTHING THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT CAN DO TO PROTECT THE LOCAL CURRENCY AGAINST SUCH EFFECTS?

A.

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