TNAG-1233-FCO40-1546-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 35

(G) IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ON THE FEASIBILITY OF SELF-RULE FOR

HONG KONG PEOPLE UNDER CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY, HE SAID THAT THE CONCEPT WAS MEANINGLESS. HE DID NOT SEE REAL INDEPENDENCE AS A VIABLE OPTION THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE PREPARED TO CONSIDER, THOUGH HE WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO BE PROVED WRONG. HE SAID THAT UNDER THE SYSTEM PROPOSED BY CHINA, PEKING WOULD CLEARLY HAVE A MAJOR SAY IN THE APPOINTMENTS OF SENIOR OFFICERS AND IN

HIS VIEW THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE HERE WOULD NOT HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THE WAY OF LIFE AND PRESENT FREEDOMS COULD CONTINUE.

3. THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST (SCMP) REPORT OF 16 JANUARY WHICH LED WITH HIS APPEAL TO THE UK TO TAKE MORE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, PARTICULARLY ORPHANS, AND ALSO COVERED HIS REMARKS ABOUT OVERSEAS STUDENTS TUITION FEES WAS AN ACCURATE RECORD OF WHAT HE SAID ON

OTHER SUBJECTS. (THE AUTHOR BORROWED THE GIS TAPE-RECORDING OF THE CONFERENCE).

4. I AM COPYING TELEGRAPHICALLY TO PEKING. HKGD REGISTRY PLEASE

CUPY TO FED AND TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE. GB19/1

SIGNED R.C. MASEFIELD

FED PASSED BY T.L. SECTION

MNWN

CCN

COPY:

R N PEIRCE ESC, PEKING

N J COX ESQ FED FCO ETC OK ???