GPS 200
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pape
(143)
RECEIVED IN KRY NO. OF COPY
DESKBY 121000Z
FM HONG KONG 120900Z JUL 83
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 350 OF 12 JULY 1983
INDEX
INFO IMMEDIATE FCO
DES:
13 JUL 1983
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE OF THE TALKS
1 CH2017
1. TVB LUNCH TIME NEWS CARRIED A REPORT FROM PEKING QUOTING
UNSPECIFIED SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE MAJOR AREAS TO BE COVERED
IN THE TALKS ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN NOW AND 1997, WERE ARRANGEMENTS AFTER 1997, AND THAT SOVEREIGNTY WAS THE LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA, BECAUSE BOTH NATIONS HAD REACHED AN UNDERSTANDING ON THIS ISSUE.
ATV CARRIED A REPORT FROM PEKING BY TELEPHONE IN WHICH THE VOICE
OF QI WAI-YUAN OF THE MFA'S INFORMATION DEPARTMENT WAS AUDIBLE.
QI GAVE FULL DETAILS OF THE CHINESE DELEGATION AND ANSWERED ONE
QUESTION ABOUT A RECENT ARTICLE IN ASIA WEEK SUGGESTING THAT
CHINA HAD TOLD THE BRITISH SIDE THAT IT WOULD BE PREPARED TO
REVISE ITS CONTINUATION TO ALLOW A CAPITALIST SYSTEM TO CONTINUE
IN HONG KONG. QI SAID THAT THE ASIA WEEK STORY WAS QUOTE NOT
ACCURATE UNQUOTE. QI SAID THAT CHINA'S POLICY WAS AS LAID DOWN
BY PREMIER ZHAO AT THE 6TH NPC, NAMELY TO TAKE BACK SOVEREIGNTY
OVER HONG KONG AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME AND TO TAKE MEASURES TO
PRESERVE ITS STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.
2. COMMERICIAL RADIO INTERVIEWED MR. ROBERT ADLEY, M.P.,
BY LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE CALL. ADLEY SAID THAT MOST OF HONG KONG
ALREADY BELONGED TO CHINA AND IT WAS THEREFORE UNREALISTIC TO DWELL
ON THE SOVEREIGNTY ISSUE. IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION, HE SAID THAT
THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SHOULD NOT RUN THE RISK OF DESTROYING THEIR
OWN FUTURE BY ENTERTAINING UNREALISTIC HOPES OF EXERCISING A VETU
OVER THE ARRANGEMENTS WHICH MIGHT BE AGREED BETWEEN BRITAIN AND
CHINA.
See (148)
(REPEATED AS REQUESTED)
HADDON-CAVE
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
LIMITED HD/HKD
SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER
COPIES TO:
ED/FED
MR BURROWS
HD/PLANNING STAFF
MR MARTIN
MR FLOWER
MR COLES
HD/PUSD
PS
PS/LADY YOUNG
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SER J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD MR WRIGHT
LEGAL ADVISERS ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE
PUSD
NO 10 DOWNING ST
SIR A PARSONS
MR WALKER,
RESEARCH DEPT (COGGS)
MR ROBERTS NEWS D
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