TNAG-1247-FCO40-1561-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 67

RESTRICTED ADOO DOL

GPS 253

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG 920437Z MAY 83

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

TELEGRAM NUMBER 675 OF 2 MAY 1983.

↓

INFO PRIORITY BRUSSELS (FOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE)

FOLLOWING TELEGRAM PASSED TO YOU FOR INFORMATION:

BEGINS:-

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG 128740Z APR 83

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 493 OF 12 APRIL 1983

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

MKK04012

RONED IN NOT NO. 51

KIND AN

3 MAY 1983

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SIGTRY

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS CONFERENCE BY MR ROLAND MOYLE, MP. MR ROLAND MOYLE, M.P., GAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE ON 9 APRIL BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE FROM HONG KONG. HIS REMARKS WERE GIVEN WIDESPREAD AND PROMINENT COVERAGE BOTH IN THE ENGLISH AND CHINESE LANGUAGE PRESS. (TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE FOLLOWS BY BAG TO HKGD). THE MAIN POINTS MADE BY MR MOYLE ON THE FUTURE WERE AS FOLLOWS: A) CHINA WAS SINCERE IN ITS INTENTION TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S

PROSPERITY AND STABILITY.

3) THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN COULD BE RECONCILED. C) THE PRIME MINISTER HAD DWELT TOO MUCH ON THE VALIDITY OF THE TREATIES. THE EMPHASIS IN FUTURE, SHOULD BE ON HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC VALUE TO CHINA.

D) CHINESE LEADERS HAD LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MADE HONG

KONG WORK.

E) THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WAS INSISTENT THAT SOVEREIGNTY WAS

NON-NEGOTIABLE.

F) CHINA'S SELF-RULE PROPOSITIONS DID NOT NECESSARILY MEAN

DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT.

KM 515

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12.

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