TNAG-1247-FCO40-1561-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 55

GR 100

SECRET

DESKBY FCO 131630Z

DESKBY PEKING 140100Z

FM HONG KONG 131357Z MAY 83

SECRET TOP COPY

K

MKKO 40/2.

13 MAY 1983

INDIA

A

.m

|CHITIS

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 682 OF 13 MAY

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING (PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR)

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

1. THESE REPORTS ARE CLEARLY BASED ON ZHAO ZHIYANG'S REPLY TO THE PM'S LETTER. OUR NORMAL REACTION WOULD BE TO REFUSE TO COMMENT ON THE STATE OF THE TALKS ON THE GROUNDS OF THEIR CONFIDENTIALITY. BUT IF THESE REPORTS WERE ALLOWED TO GAIN CURRENCY HERE THEY WOULD BE SEVERELY DAMAGING TO CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG. I HAVE THEREFORE AUTHORISED THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN TO ISSUE A STATEMENT WHICH MAKES CLEAR THEY THEY DO NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT EITHER THE STATE OF THE TALKS OR THE BRITISH POSITION. MAIN POINTS ARE IN MY I.F.T.

YOUDE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

מכינה

ED/HKGD

HD/FED

ED/PLANNING STAFF HD/PUSD PS

PS/MR HURD

PS/LORD BELSTEAD PS/FUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD

COPIES TO

SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS

MR ROBERTS NEWS D

MR MARTIN

MR FLOWER

ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE

PUSD

MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST.

SIR A PARSONS

SECRET

:

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