TNAG-1247-FCO40-1561-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 46

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FM HONG KONG 160840Z MAY 83

TO ROUTINE BRUSSELS

TELEGRAM NUMBER 6 OF 16 MAY

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INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, UKMIS GENEVA,

WASHINGTON, FCO, CG NEW YORK

FOR HONG KONG GOVT REPRESENTATIVES.

HKK040 2...

RASHPIX

17 MAY 1983

HKG/GT/20

FUTURE OF HONG KONG.

DESK INDEX

си: CMiels

1. A STORY TO THE FOLLOWING EFFECT HAS BEEN GIVEN COVERAGE THE HONG KONG PRESS OVER THE WEEKEND:

1) THE TALKS ON THE FUTURE ARE TO BEGIN IN PEKING ON FRIDAY NEXT: 11) AGREEMENT TO BEGIN HAS BEEN REACHED ON THE BASIS OF QUOTE THE CHINESE FORMULA UNQUOTE:

1) THAT IS TO SAY, THE UK WILL RECOGNISE CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE WHOLE OF HONG KONG, ALBEIT IN A SUBTLE WAY: IV) THE AGENDA FOR THE TALKS WILL BE:

(A) ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE TRANSFER OF POWER DURING THE NEXT 14 YEARS AND WHAT THE UK GOVERNMENT AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO IN THIS PERIOD:

(B) WHAT CO-OPEARTION THERE SHOULD BE BETWEEN THE UK GOVERNMENT AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AFTER 1997:

V) THE GOVERNOR IS AWAITING INSTRUCTIONS FROM LONDON AS TO WHETHER HE SHOULD ATTEND THE TALKS, AS A MEMBER OF THE BRITISH DELEGATION.

2. IN COMMENTING ON THIS STORY A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN HAS SAID: QUOTE DISCUSSIONS IN PEKING ARE CONTINUING BUT THEIR CONTENT REMAINS CONFIDENTIAL. THERE ARE NO CURRENT PLANS AT THE MOMENT FOR THE GOVERNOR TO VISIT PEKING. AS ALREADY STATED HE WILL GO WHEN THE TALKS REACH THE APPROPRIATE STAGE. CONTINUING, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE NEWSPAPER REPORT WAS NOT AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF THE STATE OF THE TALKS, OR OF THE BRITISH POSITION. THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT AS LORD BELSTEAD HAS SAID LAST DECEMBER, PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE MISLED BY WHAT THEY HEAR OUTSIDE THE TALKS. THE ONLY AUTHENTIC INFORMATION IS THAT WHICH EMERGES OFFICIALLY FROM THE TALKS UNQUOTE.

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