TNAG-1240-FCO40-1553-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 30

CONFIDENTIAL

GRS 170

CONFIDENTIAL

FROM PEKING 12062OZ AUG 83

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 783 OF 12/8/83

FLAG F

REPEATED FOR INFO TO PRIORITY HONG KONG HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

HONG KONG TEL 0 1187:

LORD RHODES

1. WE AGREE THAT AN INTERVENTION BY LORD RHODES ON HONG KONG AT THIS, OR INDEED AT ANY TIME WOULD NOT BE HELPFUL.

LORD RHODES HAS A HABIT OF ASKING FOR A SERIES

OF MEETINGS WITH CHINESE MINISTERS AND OFFICIALS DURING WHICH HE LECTURES THEM ABOUT THE POLICIES THEY SHOULD ADOPT.

THE CHINESE HAVE BEEN CONFUSED IN THE PAST BY HIS VISITS AND,

HIS AS HONG KONG NOTES, THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THAT

VIEWS ARE ENTIRELY HIS OWN. ON THIS SUBJECT IT IS VITAL THAT THE WATERS ARE NOT MUDDIED BY HIS PRIVATE VIEWS, WHICH ON PAST EXPERIENCE ARE AT TIMES BIZARRE.

2.WE THEREFORE STRONGLY AGREE WITH HONG KONG'S RECOMMENDATION THAT LORD RHODES SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED FROM PUTTING

ANY PROPOSALS TO THE CHINESE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF

HONG KONG. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO RESPONSE.

CLARK

KNOW IN DUE COURSE HIS

(THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED)

LIMITED

HKD

FED

PLANNING STAFF

PUSD

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG PS/LUCE

PS/MR RAISON PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR WRIGHT

COPIES TO

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

LONDON

MR GIFFARD MR DONALD

CONFIDENTIAL

:

F

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