TNAG-1249-FCO40-1563-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 62

289

GPS 210

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 07094OZ NOV 83

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1691 OF 7 NOVEMBER 1983

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

206

"OP COPY

YOUR TELNO 761 TO PEKING: PRESS COVERAGE OF FUTURE

MKK0402

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY!

- 7 NOV 1983

DESK OF FICER

INDEX

1. THE JAPANESE CONSULATE HERE HAVE GIVEN US AN ACCOUNT DE VICE FOREIGN MINISTER QHAN QICHEN'S MEETING WITH THE JIH AGENCY REPORTERS, WHICH THEY OBTAINED FROM THE JIJN BUREAU CHIEF IN HONG KONG, WHO WAS PRESENT. QUAN APPEARS TO HAVE GIVEN A FAIRLY STANDARD EXPOSITION OF THE CHINESE LINE ON HONG KONG, INCLUDING A REFERENCE TO CHINA'S INTENTION OF ANNOUNCING ITS PLANS FOR HONG KONG UNILATERALLY IF NO AGREEMENT HAD BEEN REACHED BY SEPTEMBER 1984. ONE OF THE JOURNALISTS THEN ASKED WHETHER THIS MEANT THAT THE NEGOT- ATHONS COULD NOT IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES CONTINUE BEYOND SEPTEMBER 1984, TO WHICH QIAN REPLIED THAT THE CHINESE WERE PREPARED TO CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE BRITISH SIDE QUOTE ON CONCRETE MEASURES UNQUOTE AFTER THE DEADLINE.

2. THE REPORTS FILED BY THE AGENCY FOLLOWING THE MEETING GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT QUAN HAD VOLUNTEERED UNPROMPTED

THE THOUGHT THAT NEGOTIATIONS MIGHT CONTINUE BEYOND SEPTEMBER 1984 EVEN IF THERE HAD BEEN NO AGREEMENT. THIS IS NO DOUBT

RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UNJUSTIFIED CONCLUSIONS TO WHICH THE LOCAL PRESS (AND IN PARTICULAR THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST) LEAPT. THE RESPONSES BY AN MFA SPOKESMAN UN PEKING TO TELE- PHONE ENQUIRIES FROM THE HONG KONG STANDARD (MY TELNO 1637) APPEAR TO BE AN ATTEMPT TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.

207

PA

m

REGISTRY

Action Taken

YOUDE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

LIMITED

HD/HKD

ED/FED

ED/PLANNING STAFF

ED/PUSD

THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED

COPIES TO: (VIA DISTR. ROOM)

SIR FILIP MOORE BUCKINGHAM PALAC PS/LORD PRESIDENT OF SE COUNCIL PS/HOME SECRETARY

PS/CHANCELLOR OF TE EXEQUER

PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL

PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND

D/HD/PUSD(MR 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 WRIGHT

CONFIDENTIAL

INDUSTRY

COPIES TO:

(VIA ADR)

NEWS DEPT

MR ROBERTS

ME. BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR A PARSONS

MR MARTIN ASSESSMENT STAFF CABINET OFFICE MR GOODALL CABINET OFFICE HR BRENNAN PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL

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