TNAG-1247-FCO40-1561-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 100

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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ANSWER: THE DRITISH HAD NO ROLE. THERE COULD BE NO COMPROMISE ON SOVEREIGNTY. VARIOUS FORMULATIONS OF THIS WERE DISCUSSED FROM WHICH IT APPEARED THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO CONSIDER A TREATY IF IT DID NOT DAMAGE SOVEREIGNTY.

C) HAD THE CHINESE CONSIDERED WHAT TO DO IF THE BRITISH DECLINED TO COOPERATE AND WITHDREW?

ANSWER: THE BRITISH WOULD COOPERATE BECAUSE OF THE PROFIT THEY EARNED FROM HONG KONG.,

D) COULD HONG KONG BE GIVEN SOME SORT OF INTERNATIONAL STATUS? ANSWER: NO REAL ANSWER GIVEN.

E) WHO WOULD BE REGARDED AS HONG KONG PEOPLE?

ANSWER: THOSE WHO HAVE LIVED IN HONG KONG FOR 7 YEARS OR MORE AND WHO ACCEPT THAT HONG KONG IS PART OF CHINA AND THAT CHINA IS THE ONLY LEGITIMATE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.

F) HAD THE CHINESE CONSIDERED THE ROLE OF ELECTIONS, THE GROWTH OF POLITICAL PARTIES AND PRESSURE GROUPS?

ANSWER: NO

G) THERE WERE LIKELY TO BE PROBLEMS IN PRESERVING HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY BEFORE 1997 IF THERE WAS TO BE A COUNTDOWN

TO A DEADLINE.

ANSWER: THE BRITISH WOULD ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS IN GOOD

ORDER.

5. DR. J. YOUNG WAS REPORTED IN THE SCMP AS HAVING REFERRED TO AN ALL LOCAL GROUP BEING FORMED TO WORK ON THE CONSTITUTION. DURING THE COURSE OF A SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION HE WAS NOT ABLE TO ELABORATE ON THIS COMMENT.

6. LI AND LU DID NOT APPEAR TO EXPECT A SOLUTION UNTIL 1934.

7. (FOLLOWING WORD UNDERLINED) ASSESSMENT. THE VISIT WAS PART OF THE CHINESE PROCESS OF QUOTE CONSULTING UNQUOTE HONG KONG PEOPLE ABOUT THE FUTURE. THE FACT THAT THE GROUP HAD ONLY ONE MEETING WITH LIAO LIMITED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR DISCUSSION. THE GROUP DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE TRIED TO CHALLENGE THE PREMISES ON WHICH THE CHINESE BASE THEIR ARGUMENTS, NOT TO DISCUSS THE REAL PROBLEM OF HONG KONG'S NEED TO KNOW (FOLLOWING WORD UNDERLINED) NOW THAT CONTINUITY BEYOND 1997 WOULD BE GUARANTEED BY SOMEONE IN WHOM HONG KONG COULD HAVE CONFIDENCE NOW. THE VISIT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE DONE VERY MUCH TO EDUCATE THE CHINESE. YOUDE

FUTURE OF HONG KÒNG

TIMIAUND

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SIR J BULLARD

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD

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COPIES TO

SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS

MR ROBERTS NEWS D

MR MARTIN

MR FLOWER

ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE

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MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST

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