TNAG-1233-FCO40-1546-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 36

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

HOFO 307/19

TELELETTER TO FCO

TELELETTER TO PEKING

GR 500

RESTRICTED

TELELETTER

Excel

leg: Icy pse

сду

Ggned to Mr Donald

0250/19

Ниночо

RECEIVEC

OESH

INDEX

FROM: R.C. MASEFIELD, HOME AFFAIRS BRANCH, HONG KONG

DATED: 19 JANUARY 1983

FOLLOWING FOR: W. MORRIS, ESQ., HKGD, FCO

COPY:

R.N, PEIRCE, ESQ., PEKING✓

N.J. COX, ESQ., FED, FCO

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

future of Heay hang. (37)

PRESS CONFERENCE BY MR IAN WRIGGLESWORTH MP.

19 JAN 1983

43

W

Арні

IN OUR TELNO 78, WE REFERRED TO REMARKS MADE BY MR WRIGGLESWORTH

WHO IS THE VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE ANGLO-HONG KONG PARLIAMENTARY

GROUP AND SDP MEMBER FOR THORNABY, TEESSIDE, AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE ON SATURDAY, 15 JANUARY. HE ALSO GAVE SEVERAL

INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS TO THE ELECTRONIC MEDIA AFTERWARDS. YOU

MAY LIKE TO HAVE SOME FURTHER DETAILS.

2. THE MAIN POINTS HE MADE ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE AND THE DIPLOMATIC

TALKS WERE:

(A) THE CLEAR IMPRESSION HE HAD OBTAINED FROM DISCUSSIONS DURING

HIS PRIVATE VISIT TO HONG KONG WAS THAT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY

ISHED TO SEE EITHER THE PRESERVATION OF THE STATUS QUO OR A

SOLUTION AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THAT:

(B) IT WAS IN PEOPLE'S INTERESTS NOT TO PRESS FOR AN EARLY

SETTLEMENT - THE MORE HEAT THAT WAS GENERATED COULD BE COUNTER-

PRODUCTIVE:

(C) HK SDP MEMBERS AND OTHERS FELT THAT IT WOULD BE RIGHT AND

DESIRABLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT IN SOME WAY TO BE ABLE TO CONSULT

PUBLIC OPINION IN HONG KONG: HE ENCOURAGED THOSE GROUPS GOING

TO PEKING TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ALSO TO THE HONG KONG AND

BRITISH GOVERNMENTS:

(D) IT WAS PROBABLY RIGHT AT AN APPROPRIATE STAGE IN THE TALKS

TO INVOLVE MINISTERS: THIS COULD ONLY BE WHEN A GREAT DEAL OF

GROUNDWORK HAD BEEN DONE, BUT IT WOULD HELP THEM IN CARRYING

THE HOUSE:

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