TNAG-1250-FCO40-1564-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 61

GRS900 RESTRICTED

DESK BY 2908OOZ

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG 29064OZ NOV 83

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

MKKOTOR

RULLIVAD U NE

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1839 OF 29 NOVEMBER INFO IMMED HATE PEKING, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON INFO ROUTINE HK GOVT REPS WASHINGTON, CG NEW YORK, UKMIS GENEVA

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE.

BRUSSELS,

1. THE WEN WEH PO (COMMUNIST) CARRIED A SHARPLY WORDED EDITORIAL URGING BRITAIN TO RESOLVE THE HONG KONG ISSUE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THERE WERE HINDICATIONS THAT BRITAIN WAS USING DELAYING TACTICS. THE CHINESE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS HAD BEEN OBLIGED TO MSSUE A STATEMENT ABOUT THE SEPTEMBER DEADLINE BECAUSE PEOPLE N HONG KONG AND BRITAN HAD JUMPED TO THE CONCLUSION THAT CHINA HAD SOFTENED MATS STANCE FOLLOWING MISQUOTED REMARKS BY THE VICE FOREIGN MINISTER QUIN QUICHEN. THERE HAD BEEN PRESS REPORTS IN THE UK ABOUT THE NEED FOR PARLIAMENT TO ENDORSE AN AGREEMENT WITH CHINA ON HONG KONG. THIS WAS JUST A FRESH EXCUSE TO DELAY AN AGREEMENT. HONG KONG WAS CHINESE TERRITORY AND CHINA HAD EVERY RIGHT TO DECIDE WHEN TO RECOVER HIT. THIS WAS A MATTER FOR CHINA WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE THE APPROVAL OF THE BRATHISH PARLIAMENT. THE TALKS WOULD GO MUCH BETTER F THE BRITISH SHADE WERE MORE SINCERE AND TOOK THE

HNTATIVE.

2. THIS LINE WAS ECHOED MN A COMMENT MAN THE NEW EVENING POST ON 28 NOVEMBER WHICH SAID THAT IT WAS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT AN AGREEMENT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED. IT WAS NOT YET CLEAR WHETHER BRITISH OFFICIALS OR MEMBERS OF PARLAMENT WERE TO BLAME FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY OBSTACLE TO PROGRESS IN THE TALKS. IN ITS EDITORIAL MIN THE SAME EDITION THE NEW EVENING POST CONTRASTED REMARKS MADE BY MR RICHARD EVANS AND MR ROBERT ADLEY MP DURING THEIR RESPECTIVE VISITS TO HONG KONG. THE EDITORIAL DESCRIBED MR EVANS REMARKS AS WITHOUT SUBSTANCE, WHILST MR ADLEY'S WERE MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL, AND SUGGESTED THAT THIS WAS BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENT CONTACTS THEY HAD MADE DURING THEIR VISITS. MR EVANS HAD SEEN ONLY A NARROW CHRCLE OF PEOPLE FROM WHOM HE WOULD NOT HAVE RECEIVED ANY ENLIGHTENMENT. MR ADLEY HAD SEEN A WIDE CROSS-SECTION OF PEOPLE AND HAD SAID THAT HE HAD RECEIVED FRIENDSHIP AND HOSPITALITY IN HONG KONG. THIS SHOWED THAT HE WAS NOT AN UNWELCOME VISITOR AS SOME GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAD SUGGESTED''. HE HAD BEEN WELCOMED BY THE PUBLIC. WHEN WOULD THE GOVERNMENT GO ALONG WITH PUBLIC OPINION? THE CHING PO (MINOR LEFT-WING) CARRIED AN EDITORIAL ON SIMILAR LINES.”“

3. MOST PAPERS REPORTED THE DECHSHON BY ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL TO CALL OFF THEIR PROPOSED VISIT TO PEKING, AS WELL AS DENIALS FROM THOSE CONCERNED THAT ANY DISAGREEMENT ON MATTERS OF SUBSTANCE LAY BEHIND THE DECHISHON. MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATHON WERE QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE VISHIT HAD BEEN CALLED OFF BECAUSE IT WAS TOO COLD IN PEKING AND BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN

IMPOSSIBLE TO AGREE ON DATES RESTRICTED

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