TNAG-1245-FCO40-1559-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 3

UKPOPO EPF229

REUTERS 20.6.83

288133 :CHINA SHID TO SET DEADLINE FOR HONG KONG PACT WITH BRITAIN:

HEW YORK, JUNE 19, REUTER - CHINESE LEADER DENG XIAOPING HAS WARÁZÓ BRITISH PRIME MINISTER MARGARET THATCHER THAT IF THE TWO COUNTRIES DO NOT REACH AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE SOVEREIGNTY OF HONG KONG BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR, +CHINA WILL ANNOUNCE 175 OWN SOLUTION, + NEWSHEEK'S INTERNATIONAL EDITION SAID TODAY.

THE NEWSWEEKLY ALSO QUOTED RELIABLE SOURCES IN LONDON AS SAYING THE BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE HAD GIVEN UP ANY REAL HOPE OF RETHINING EVEN TITULAR BRITISH. SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG WHEN 175 99-YEAR LEASE ON MUCH OF THE COLONY EXPIRES IN 1997.

SITUATED ON CHINA'S SOUTHEASTERN COAST, THE COLONY CONSISTS OF HONG KONG ISLAND AND KOWLOON PENINSULA, BOTH CEDED BY THE FORNER CHINESE EMPIRE TO BRITAIN +IN PERPETUITY+ IN THE MID-19TH CENTURY, AND THE MAINLAND AREA OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AND MANY ISLANDS, LEASED TO BRITAIN FOR 99 YEARS IN 1898.

NEWSWEEK INTERNATIONAL SAID DENG'S WARNING WAS DELIVERED AT AN ACRIMONIOUS MEETING WITH THATCHER IN PEKING LAST SEPTEMBER.

DENG TOLD THE BRITISH LEADER, +IF BRITAIN AND CHINA DO NOT REACH AGREEMENT BY THE END OF 1984, CHINA WILL ANNOUNCE ITS OWN SOLUTION. +

MORE JH/JKF

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UKP374 EPF238

288137 :CHINA SAID 2. LONDON:

:

NEWSWEEK INTERNATIONAL SAID THE CONVERSATION WAS RELATED BY CHINESE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY GENERAL SECRETARY HU YADBANG IN AN INTERVIEW WITH A COLUMNIST FOR THE MAGAZINE.

THE REPORT: SAID BRITISH OFFICIALS HAD REFUSED TO COMMENT WHEN ASKED IF DENG HAD SET THE 1984 DEADLINE. IT SAID HU HAD REFUSED TO ELABORATE ON THE SUBSTANCE OF THE DENG-THATCHER TALKS.

THE BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE WAS CONVINCED THAT CHINA COULD NOT BACK DOWN FROM ITS CLAIN TO HONG KONG WITHOUT A TERRIBLE LOSS OF FACE AND A POSSIBLE LOSS OF ITS CLAIM TO TAIWAN, NEWSWEEK QUOTED THE RELIABLE SOURCES IN LONDON AS SAYING.

BRITAIN IS CURRENTLY HOLDING TALKS WITH CHINA ON THE FUTURE OF THE COLONY AFTER THE BRITISH LEASE EXPIRES IN 1997. A GOVERNMENT MINISTER IN LONDON LAST WEEK SHID NEGOTIATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG COULD AND WOULD BE BROUGHT TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION WHICH WAS ACCEPTABLE TO THE COLONY'S PEOPLE

REUTER JH/JKE