TNAG-1237-FCO40-1550-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 186

J

GRS 280

SECRET

DESKBY 2208302-

FROM PEKING 220833Z MAR 83

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NOS 261 OF 22/3/83

SECRET

REPEATED FOR INFO TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

наноче

x2 MAR 1983:

HONG KONG TEL NO 381: FUTURE OF HONG KONG. CPPCC.

Аргив

1. 1 AGREE WITH THE GOVERNOR'S INTNCPTETATION OF THIS CHINESE MOVE

AND SHARE HIS VIEW THAT EXCO MEMBERS SHOULD DECLINE.

2. I SEE SOME RISK THAT, IN DECLINING THE INVITATION,

MIGHT LET THE CHINESE KNOW (OR THEY MIGHT IN ANY

CASE SUSPECT) THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD ADVISED AGAINST IT. THIS

COULD FUEL CHINESE SUSPICIONS THAT WE WERE DETERMINED

AT ALL COSTS TO PREVENT A SOLUTION INVOLVING RECOGNITION

OF CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY. BUT THE GREATER RISK IN

MY VIEW WOULD LIE IN ACCEPTANCE OF SUCH AN INVITATION. THE CHINESE

MIGHT SEEK TO BUILD ON SUCH A ''DIRECT CHANNEL TO THE EXTENT

THAT THEY WOULD SEE NO POINT IN TALKING TO US. FURTHERMORE,

ALTHOUGH THIS MUST BE FOR SIR EDWARD YOUDE TO JUDGE, I IMAGINE THAT THERE IS ALSO A RISK THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE MIGHT REACT

BADLY TO THE SIGHT OF EXCO APPARENTLY PLAYING PEKING'S

GAME.

3. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT ! SEE NO MERIT IN

VISITING PEKING AND PUTTING HIS VIEWS TO CHINESE LEADERS. BUT

HE WOULD BE BETTER ABLE TO SPEAK WITHOUT INHIBITION IF HE WERE TO VISIT IN A PRIVATE, INDIVITUAL CAPACITY, THAN IF HE WERE ASKED TO PERFORM BEFORE A LARGE ASSEMBLY. MOREOVER, AS THE GOVERNOR NOTES, THE CPPCC IS A BODY OF NO REAL IMPORTANCE.

4. ! RECOMMEND THAT, IN TELLING

OF HIS VIEWS,

THE GOVERNOR MIGHT SUGGEST THAT HE SHOULD PROPOSE INSTEAD TO THE CHINESE THAT HE NIGHT VISIT PEKING IN A PRIVATE CAPACITY.

NIGHT POSSIBLY ADD THAT IN THE ABSENCE OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA THE TIME IS NOT RIPE FOR EXCO MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN A CHINESE STATE ORGANISATION (THUS NOT QUITE CLOSING THE DOOP FOR THE FUTURE).

CRADOCK

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

See(208

se

215

THIS IS A COPY

THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN

LLO

EXEMPTION No.. YEARS UNDER FOI

CLOSED FOR

40, 27, 41, 38

LIMITED

HD/HKGD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

HD/PUSD PS

PS/MR HURD

PS/LORD BELSTEAD

PS/FUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD

COPIES TO

SIR I SINCLAIR

LEGAL ADVISER

NEWS D

MR ROBERTS

MR COLES

MR MARTIN

SECRET

NO 10 DOWNING STREET

ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE

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