TNAG-1237-FCO40-1550-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 173

THIS IS A COPY

THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN

LL CLOSED FOR

64 YEARS UNDER FOI EXEMPTION NO... 40 41 3

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OO HONG KONG WDESKBY 230100Z

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24 MAR 1983

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FM FCO 2216302 MAR

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 269 OF 22 MARCH

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING (PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR)

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YOUR TELNO 381 AND PEKING TELNO 261: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: CPPCC

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WE STRONGLY AGREE WITH THE VIEWS IN TURS THAT FARTICIPATION

BY EXCO MEMBERS IN THE CPPCC WOULD BE A MISTAKE. WE SHARE YOUR ASSESSMENT OF CHINESE MOTIVES BEHIND THE INVITATIONS WHICH APPEAR OF A PIECE WITH THEIR CURRENT UNITED FRONT TACTICS. WE THINK IT

LIKELY THAT THE OCCASION MIGHT BE USED TO MAKE SOME KIND OF ANNOUNCEMENT OF CHINESE PLANS AND TO ASSOCIATE ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THE CPPCC, INCLUDING HONG KONG PEOPLE, WITH THEM.

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DEPENDING ON THE FORM OF THE INVITATION (EG TO A PRIVATE

PERSON OR SOMEONE DESCRIBED AS A MEMBER OF EXCO) AND THE NATURE OF THE PARTICIPATION (EG FULL MEMBERSHIP OR OBSERVER STATUS), ATTENDANCE BY EXCO MEMBERS COULD IN ITSELF HAVE IMPLICATIONS CUTT- ING ACROSS THE POSITION WHICH WE HAVE TAKEN IN DIPLOMATIC CONTACTS WITH THE CHINESE. CERTAINLY FULL MEMBERS MIGHT BE TAKEN TO ACCEPT

THE TERMS OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CPPCC WHICH REFERS TO THE CONFERENCE AS EMBRACING PERSONS ... WHO SUPPORT THE REUNIFICATION OF THE MOTHERLAND, INCLUDING OUR COMPATRIOTS IN TAIWAN, HONG KONG AND MACAO AND CHINESE NATIONALS ABROAD. THE CONFERENCE IS COMMITTED TO PLAYING AN IMPORTANT PART IN ACHIEVING THE

REUNIFICATION OF THE MOTHERLAND.'

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IT FOLLOWS THAT WE DO NOT AGREE WITH

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VIEW OF THE POSSIBLE ADVANTAGES OF SUCH A MOVE. SUBJECT TO YOUR OWN VIEWS, WE DOUBT THAT IT WOULD HELP CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG:

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