TNAG-1233-FCO40-1546-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 19

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY

53

GR 320

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 21080DZ JAN 83

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 104 OF 21 JANUARY

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

32

MIPT: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: HKGCC SPEECH

TEXT OF FINAL 3 PARAGRAPHS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

никаю

C

21 JAN1983

m

Afz6/1

THE SECOND IS THAT THE SOLUTION WILL HAVE TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF

THE INTERESTS NOT ONLY OF THE UK AND CHINA BUT OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WHOSE FUTURE IT IS. IN THIS CONNECTION I DO NOT THINK IT IS THE CASE THAT AS SOME SUGGEST THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ARE NOT BEING EXPRESSED OR NOT BEING TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.

SO TO SUGGEST THIS SHOWS LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF THE WAY IN WHICH IN THIS TERRITORY THE VIEWS OF ORGANISATIONS, BUSINESS

ASSOCIATIONS AND THE MAN IN THE STREET ARE REFLECTED UPWARDS TO GOVERNMENT. IF PEOPLE WISH TO MAKE THEIR VIEWS PUBLIC, THE PRESS AND MEDIA ARE ALWAYS READY TO GIVE THEM SPACE. IF THEY WISH TO

CONVEY THEIR VIEWS MORE QUIETLY AND MORE DELIBERATELY, AND MANY DO, THERE ARE NUMEROUS CHANNELS OPEN TO THEM. AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FORGOTTEN LET ME REMIND THEM THAT THE PRIME MINISTER HERSELF

GAVE AN ASSURANCE TO THE DELEGATION OF UNOFFICIALS WHICH SHE SAW

IN SEPTEMBER THAT THOSE VIEWS WOULD BE REPRESENTED IN THE TALKS

IN PEKING.

THIRDLY I DO NOT THINK I HAVE TO CONVINCE THE AUDIENCE HERE

TONIGHT THAT THE CONTENT OF THE TALKS ARE BEST KEPT CONFIDENTIAL.

IMPORTANT COMMERCIAL AGREEMENTS ARE NOT DISCUSSED IN PUBLIC IN

THE MIDDLE OF STATUE SQUARE: AND INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS ARE

MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED IF CONFIDENTIALITY CAN BE MAINTAINED.

LET ME REPEAT AND EMPHASISE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE PREJUDICED

BY WHAT THEY HEAR SAID OUTSIDE THE ACTUAL NEGOTIATIONS. OF COURSE

DIFFERENCES NEED TO BE RECONCILED. THAT IS WHAT THE TALKS ARE

FOR. I REMAIN CONVINCED THAT THEY CAN BE RECONCILED AND THAT

CONFIDENTIAL TALKS ARE THE RIGHT AND MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF DOING

So.

CONFIDENTIAL

11 AM

: