TNAG-1249-FCO40-1563-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 51

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MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS WAS SOVEREIGNTY, AND THAT MR EVANS MUST GRASP THE FACT THAT ANY CONCESSIONS ON THE ISSUE MUST COME FROM THE BRITISH SIDE, BECAUSE CHINA WOULD CERTAINLY NOT OFFER ANY COMPROMISE.

4. THE REMARKS BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE CHINESE MFA'S INFORMATION DEPARTMENT, MR Q! HUAYUAN, RE-STATING THE CHINSES POSITION ABOUT A SEPTEMBER 1984 DEADLINE, WERE THE FRONT-PAGE LEAD IN BOTH MAJOR COMMUNIST NEWSPAPERS (WEN WEB PO AND TA KUNG PAO). THE TA KUNG PAO ALSO CARRIED A REUTERS REPORT QUOTING AN FCO SPOKESMAN AS HAVING SAID THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS NOT GOING TO BE RUSHED INTO ANY QUICK SETTLEMENT. THIS STORY WAS GIVEN FRONT-PAGE TREATMENT IN THE THREE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE DAILIES AND ROUTINE COVERAGE IN THE CHINESE-LANGUAGE PRESS. MOST INDEPENDENT PAPERS QUOTED ANALYSTS AS SAYING THAT THE PURPOSE OF Q'S REMARKS WAS TO RE-STATE THE CHINESE POSITION IN THE FACE OF SPECULATION ABOUT THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE DEADLINE FOLLOWING THE JHJ: AGENCY REPORT OF REMARKS BY VICE FOREIGN MINISTER, QHAN QICHEN.

YOUDE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

LIVTHOD

ED/PLARNING STAFF

ED/FED

ED/PUSD

D/ED/PUSD( FLOWER)

RESEARCH DEPT(MR WALKER)

LEGAL ADVISER (SIR IAN SINCLAIR)

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PSAR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD

MR FRIGHT

2

COPIES TO: (VIA DISTR. FOOM)

SIR FEILIP MOORE BUCKINGHAM PALAC PS/LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL PS/HOME SECRETARY

PS/CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL

PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND

{HONG KONG GOVT.

INDUSTRY

OFFICE, LONDON

(VIA ADR)

COPIES TO:

MR ROBERTS NEWS DEPT

MIR BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR A PARSONS MR MARTIN

IF

#1

ASSESSMENT STAFF CABINET OFFICE MR GOODALL CABINET OFFICE MR BRENNAN

PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE

RESTRICTED PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL

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