TNAG-1248-FCO40-1562-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 146

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TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE TRANSITION.) THE NEW EVENING POST

SAID THAT THE MAIN THEME FOR THE HONG KONG TALKS WAS TO DISCUSS

HOW BEST TO ARRANGE FOR THE TRANSITION. HONG KONG'S SOVEREIGNTY

BELONGED TO CHINA. IT WAS THEREFORE WITHIN CHINA'S JURISDICTION

TO DECIDE WHAT SYSTEM SHOULD BE USED IN HONG KONG AFTER THE

REVERSION OF SOVEREIGNTY. IT WOULD HOWEVER BE A QUOTE GLORIOUS

DIPLOMATIC ACHIEVEMENT UNQUOTE FOR BRITAIN IF THIS HISTORICAL

QUESTION COULD BE RESOLVED AMICABLY BY ISSUING A JOINT STATEMENT WITH CHINA ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE. IN AN INDIRECT CRITICISM OF

THE MING PAO EDITORIAL QUOTED IN MY TELNO 946, THE NEW EVENING

POST SAID THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG DID NOT WANT BRITAIN AND

CHINA TO QUOTE PLAY CARD UNQUOTE. COMMENTING ON THE REPORTS THAT

THE RESUMPTION OF NEGOTIATIONS MEANT THAT THE PRIME MINISTER HAD

CHANGED HER POSITION ON SOVEREIGNTY, THE NEW EVENING POST SAID

THAT QUOTE IT WOULD BE A RETROGRADE STEP IF BRITAIN WERE TO ASK

FOR AN EXTENSION OF THE UNEQUAL TREATIES IN THE RESUMED TALKS.

UNQUOTE

HADDON-CAVE

!

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

LIMITED

ED/HKD

HD/PLANNING STAFF

ED/FED

HD/PUSD

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/MR LUCE

PS/FUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD

MR WRIGHT

THIS TELEGRAM

WAS NOT

'ADVANCED

COPIES TO:

SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER

MR BURROWS

MR MARTIN

MR FLOWER

MR COLES

LEGAL ADVISERS ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE

PUSD

NO 10 DOWNING ST

SIR A PARSONS

11

MR WALKER, RESEARCH DEPT (COGGS)

MR ROBERTS

NEWS D

HONG KONG GOVT. OFFICE

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