from: The Rt Hon Lord Shepherd PC
·13/4
that D for advice and draft reply from hard Belstead psc. Cc: Ps/ Lord Belstead.
Reg: Cap to M. Ellisht,
House of Lords Westminster
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саз
FED
PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL
w/1514
13 April 1983
The Rt Hon Lord Belstead
Minister of State for
Foreign and Commonwealth
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Downing Street
London SW1A 2AL
Thur.
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I am now back from a visit to Hong Kong which lasted some 10 days from 11 to 20 March - but there is very little to report from our last meeting. However I did have an evening with the Members of UMELCO which was in some respects worrying in that they consider that the interests of Hong Kong were best served by them publicly as well as privately taking a rather beligerant attitude to any proposals which were not the maintenance of the status quo. On the other hand, they privately have acknowledged that the question of sovereignty was a foregone conclusion and that anything but a very strong line with the Chinese would be counter productive.
My Chairman, Mr Fung King Hey, had been asked to visit Beijing as part of discussions which PRC Ministers and Officials have been conducting with leading personalities in Hong Kong. Mr Fung returned to Hong Kong yesterday from Beijing and has immediately telephoned me to give me the following information which you may find of interest. the line was, of course open, discussions made use of phrases and words which we had agreed so that in the event of a crossed line the conversation would not have been understood.
While
Mr Fung saw Mr Leow who confirmed that a letter sent to the PRC Government by the Prime Minister had been received, that it was being very carefully considered and discussed and there may be some time before a firm reaction to it was given.
cont'd....
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