TNAG-1237-FCO40-1550-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 122

OO PEKING

GRS 290

UNCLASSIFIED

FM FCO 131500Z APR 83

UNCLASSIFIED

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

TELEGRAM NUMBER 225 OF 13 APRIL

FUTURE OF HONG KONG : MIPT

6243

"MKK04011

1547 1

HAND IN GAISY NO $1 19 APR 1983

EV

12214

1. EXTRACT ON HONG KONG FROM WALL STREET JOURNAL INTERVIEW WITH

MRS THATCHER CARRIED IN THE ASIA EDITION ON 4 APRIL IS AS FOLLOWS:

'Q.

OVER THE LAST YEAR, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF QUESTIONING

IN HONG KONG ABOUT THE STATUS OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH CHINA.

TS

THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT WHERE THE DISCUSSIONS WITH

CHINA ARE GOING, OR ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG?

A. NO, THERE IS NOTHING FURTHER I CAN TELL YOU. WE HAD TO

OPEN UP THE SUBJECT BECAUSE THE LEASE ENDS IN 1997 AND WE WERE

SOON GOING TO COME TO THE TIME WHEN PEOPLE WERE GOING TO WORRY

ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE WAS, PARTICULARLY WITH PROPERTY ON THE

SCHEDULED TERRITORIES. WE HAVE TO OPEN UP THE DIALOGUE NOW

BUT THERE IS NOTHING THAT I CAN TELL YOU FURTHER THAN WHAT WAS

PUBLISHED IN THE COMMUNIQUE AT THE TIME.

I DO THINK THAT WE ARE ALL VERY KEEN TO KEEP THE STABILITY AND

PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG IF WE POSSIBLY CAN. THAT IS COMPOUNDED

OF THESE TWO REMARKABLE THINGS THE CHINESE CHARACTER AND THE

-

PRESENT ADMINISTRATION. THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE TO START.

Q

DO YOU THINK THE COMMUNIQUE HAD A STABILISING EFFECT?

A. IT IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO KNOW. WHAT THE COMMUNIQUE DID WAS

TO SET OUT AGREED OBJECTIVES. THE COMMUNIQUE WAS AGREED BETWEEN

DENG XIAOPING AND MYSELF: THE STATEMENT WAS AGREED TO BY THE TWO

OF US AFTER CONSIDERABLE DISCUSSIONS. THE OBJECTIVES STILL

REMAIN, AND I JUST HOPE THAT WE CAN REACH AGREEMENT ON HOW TO DO

IT BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT IS IN ALL OUR INTERESTS THAT WE SHOULD

AND REALLY WHEN YOU HAVE GOT THIS REMARKABLE THING, YOU WOULD

REALLY THINK THAT BOTH CHINA AND OURSELVES COULD REACH SOME

AGREEMENT ON HOW TO PRESERVE IT. BECAUSE IT IS A REMARKABLE

ACHIEVEMENT.'

PYM

FUTURE OF HONG KÒNG

MEMEKUND

ED/EKGD

ED/FED

ED/PLANNING STAFF

ED/PUSD PS

PS/MR HURD

PS/LORD BELSTEAD PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR GIFFARD MR DONALD

COPIES TO

SIR I SINOLAIR LEGAL ADVISER MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS

MR ROBERTS

NEWS D

MR MARTIN

MR FLOWER MRCOLES

ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE

PUSD

NO TO DOWNING ST

"

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