TNAG-1233-FCO40-1546-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 37

(E) THE IMPORTANT THING WAS THAT THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE MUST BE PROTECTED, AND THE NEGOTIATIONS MUST BRING ABOUT CONTINUING FREEDOM AND MAINTENANCE OF THEIR PRESENT WAY OF LIFE.

N HIS VIEW THIS COULD ONLY BE GUARANTEED BY CONTINUATION OF BRITISH ADMINISTRATION:

(F) HE WOULD HOPE THAT THERE COULD BE AN INTERIM STATEMENT TO PARLIAMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR: (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 COPY TO FE AND TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE.

SIGNED R.C. MASEFIELD

FED PASSED BY T.L. SECTION

NNNN

GB19/1

CCN

COPY:

RN PEIRCE ESQ, PEKING

N J COX ESQ FED FCO ETC

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