TNAG-1249-FCO40-1563-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 73

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DESK BY 0309OOZ F C O

FM HONG KONG 03080OZ NOV 83

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1662 OF 3 NOVEMBER

Pri

Arm Teken.

CHINE

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING. ROUTHINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES WASHINGTON NE BRUSSELS AND GENEVA.

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE.

BOTH THE ENGLISH AND CHINESE LANGUAGE PAPERS GAVE PROMINENT

COVERAGE TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HEAD OF THE CHINESE MFA

INFORMATION DEPARTMENT Q HUAH: YUAN THAT SHR P. CRADOCK AND VICE FOREIGN MINISTER YAO GUANG HAD HELD THE FIRST OF THE INFORMAL

MEETINGS FORESHADOWED AFTER THE 5TH ROUND OF TALKS. (THE STORY

WAS THE FRONT PAGE LEAD IN THE TA KUNG PO.)

2. THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST FRONT PAGE LEAD MIS THE J JA AGENCY REPORT QUOTING VICE-FOREIGN MINISTER QAN QUICHEN AS HAVNING SAND THAT NEGOTIATIONS COULD CONTINUE BEYOND THE SEPTEMBER 1984 DEADLINE. (SEE PARA 5 OF MY TELNO 1652). THE SOUTH

CHINA MORNING POST EDITORMAL SAND THAT THE PRIME MINISTER'S REMARKS ON THE PHONE-IN PROGRAMME AND MR. LUCE'S STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND VARIOUS HINTS EMERGING FROM CHINA HAD COMBINED TO

CREATE A SLIGHTLY MORE OPTIMISTIC FEELING IN HONG KONG. THE

REDUCTION IN INTEREST RATES, RECOVERY OF THE STOCK MARKET AND

ABOVE ALL THE APPARENT SUCCESS OF THE GOVERNMENT TO PEG THE

EXCHANGE RATE OF THE HONG KONG DOLLAR WERE ALL REASONS FOR GUARDED

OPTHMHISM.

3. MOST PAPERS INCLUDING THE COMMUNIST PRESS, REPORT THE OUTCOME OF THE POLL CONDUCTED BY HONG KONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS UNION ON

THE LETTER SENT TO THE PRIME MINISTER IN THEHR NAME (PARA 3 OF MY TELNO 1648). THE STUDENTS PASSED BY A SMALL MAJORITY A MOTHON DECLARING THE LETTER TO BE INVALID. THEY ALSO VOTED IN FAVOUR OF

HOLDING AN OPHINION POLL ON THE FUTURE AND IN FAVOUR OF SENDING A

LETTER TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES SEEKING AN ASSURANCE THAT HONG KONG WOULD BECOME A DEMOCRATIC SOCHETY. CHINESE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS FIRST DISCUSSION SESSION ON THE DRAFT LETTER TO ZHAO ZH YANG WAS ALSO WIDELY REPORTED. THE STUDENTS DECLINED TO SHOW REPORTERS THE TEXT OF THE DRAFT ON THE GROUNDS THAT MIT DID NOT YET REPRESENT THE

FINAL OPINION OF THE STUDENTS.

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