TNAG-1248-FCO40-1562-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 129

GPS 200

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 380943Z JUL 33

CONFIDENTIAL

MKK040/2

RECEIVED IN REG/STAY NO. 51

12 JUL 1983

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

DESK OFF!"

TELEGRAM NUMBER 971 OF 8 JULY 1983)

INDEX

PA

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

115

COPY

123

PEKING TELNO 644: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS ARTICLE ABOUT SECOND

PHASE TALKS

1. AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE LEAK ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF TALKS QUOTE AT SUB COMMITTEE LEVEL UNQUOTE DID NOT COME FROM ANY OFFICIAL (OR UNOFFICIAL) HONG KONG SOURCES.

2. ON A MORE GENERAL POINT, IT IS CLEARLY ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENTIALITY ABOUT THE (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) CONTENT OF THE TALKS IN PEKING. BUT IN MY VIEW IT IS NEITHER PRACTICABLE NOR DESIRABLE TO KEEP TOTAL SILENCE ON ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS SUCH AS THE DATES FOR MEETINGS, THEIR DURATION OR LIKELY DURATION, HONG KONG PARTICIPATION IN THEM AND (WHEN THE TIME COMES) THE FACT THAT SUB COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED. THERE IS INTENSE INTEREST IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE NEGOTIATIONS HERE AND WE WOULD SIMPLY BE LAYING UP TROUBLE FOR OURSELVES IF WE DID NOTHING AT ALL TO SATISFY IT. WE WOULD NOT WISH OR NEED TO ANNOUNCE ALL OF SIR P. CARDOCK'S MEETINGS WITH THE CHINESE. BUT THE MEDIA WILL IN ANY CASE FIND OUT WHO IS GOING TO PEKING FROM HONG KONG AND WHEN. WE CAN GAIN SOME CREDIT (AND AT THE SAME TIME HELP KEEP SPEC- ULATION IN CHECK) BY PROVIDING INFORMATION OF THIS KIND OURSELVES

FROM TIME TO TIME.

See(131

YOUDE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

LIMITED

COPIES TO:

HD/HKD

HD/FED

MR BURROWS

HD/PLANNING STAFF

MR MARTIN

HD/PUSD

PS

MR FLOWER

PS/LADY YOUNG

MR COLES

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD

MR WRIGHT

SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER

LEGAL ADVISERS

ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE

PUSD

NO 10 DOWNING ST

SIR A PARSONS

MR WALKER,

11

RESEARCH DEPT (GOGGS)

MR ROBERTS NEWS D

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