TNAG-1253-FCO40-1586-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 101

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CAN YOU EXPAND ON THAT?

MR HAYDEN: I COULD BUT I WONT. I POINTED OUT IN BANGKOK THAT THAT WAS INFORMATION WE HAD CABLED THROUGH TO US AND IT REFERRED TO CERTAIN VIEWS WHICH HAD BEEN EXPRESSED VERY FIRMLY, QUITE UNAMBIGUOUSLY, BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES.

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QUESTION: MR HAYDEN I KNOW YOU HAVE NOT ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM OF A POSSIBLE REFUGEE OUTFLOW BUT IS IT POSSIBLE IN A GENERAL WAY TO SUGGEST WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES COULD BE IF THE TRANSITION DOES NOT GO SMOOTHLY?

MR HAYDEN: IF I WAS CONCERNED THAT THIS WAS A PROBABILITY THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED SERIOUSLY AT THIS POINT I WOULD. I DONT. RELIEVE THAT THAT IS SO. I BELIEVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT IT WOULD ONLY ADD TO INSTABILITY AND YOU WILL NOTE FROM WHAT I HAVE SIAD THAT I HAVE SOUGHT TO SHORE UP CONFIDENCE IN THIS REGION. HONG KONG WENT THROUGH A PERIOD OF UNCERTAINTY WHICH WAS REFLECTED IN THE PLUMMETING EXCHANGE RATE. NOW THAT IS A COST THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO PEAR. ONE WAY OR ANOTHER WE DONT WANT THAT TO HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF ANYTHING THAT I SAY BECAUSE I DONT THINK IT IS JUSTIFIED IN OCCURING.

QUESTION: ARE YOU SATISFIED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION YOU ARE RECEIVING FROM BOTH SIDES ON THE NEGOTIATIONS?

MR HAYDEN: WELL WHAT WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING HAS BEEN HELPFUL BUT I DONT KNOW JUST HOW MUCH MORE EITHER SIDE MIGHT HAVE RUT HAS NOT DECIDED TO TELL US. WE DONT TELL OTHER PEOPLE EVERYTHING THAT WE KNOW. FOR INSTANCE, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW THINGS I KNOW

FROM THIS TRIP THAT I HAVENT TOLD YOU PEOPLE.

ENDS:

ACTION: POL

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