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FM CANBERRA 05073OZ JUL 93
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 344 OF 5 JULY
INFO INMEDIATE HONG KONG (FOR ACTING GOVERNOR), BANGKOK
THE AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER'S PRESS CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG
THE AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER TODAY, 5 JULY, REPORTS THAT AT A PRESS
CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG ON 4 JULY MR. HAYDEN SAID THAT HE HAD
*GAINED ASSURANCES' FROM THE ACTING GOVERNOR AND OTHERS IN HONG
KONG' THAT THERE WOULD BE A SMOOTH TRANSITION OF SOVEREIGNTY AND
CONTROL. HE ADDED THAT IN HIS TALKS WITH THE CHINESE FOREIGN
MINISTER A FEW WEEKS AGO IN CANBERRA HE HAD GAINED ASSURANCES
THAT CHINA WOULD RESPECT HONG KONG'S SPECIAL POSITION. WHAT
THE MINISTER SOUGHT TO IMPRINT ON MY MIND WAS THE CLEAR DETERMIN-
ATION OF CHINA TO ENSURE THAT THERE WOULD BE A SMOOTH PROCESS.
HE STATED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO DOUBT THAT POST-1997 HONG KONG,
UNDER WHATEVER ARRANGEMENTS, WOULD FUNCTION AS IT FUNCTIONS TODAY.
HE SAID THAT CHINA RECOGNISED THAT FOR HONG KONG TO BE SUCCESS-
FUL IT WOULD HAVE TO OPERATE AS A FREE MARKET CAPITALIST SYSTEM.'
MR HAYDEN ADDED THAT WHEN HE VISITS CHINA SHORTLY (HE IS DUE TO
GO TO PEKING EARLY NEXT MONTH) HE WOULD SEEK FURTHER
ASSURANCES FROM CHINESE LEADERS THAT THERE WOULD BE A SMOOTH
TRANSITION IN THE HANDING BACK OF HONG KONG TO CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY.
2. THESE REMARKS GO CONSIDERABLY FURTHER THAN ANYTHING SAID TO US
BY AUSTRALIAN OFFICIALS AFTER THE VISIT HERE OF ZHAO ZHIANG
AND THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER IN APRIL WHEN INDEED WE WERE
TOLD THAT HONG KONG HAD ONLY BEEN SRIEFLY MENTIONED IN PASSING.
(UPTON'S LETTER OF 28 APRIL AND CULLIMORE'S OF 2 MAY BOTH TO CHICK, SPD REFER). WE WILL SEEK CLARIFICATION HERE BUT GRATEFUL
FOR ANY COMMENT FROM HONG KONG.
MASON
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
LIMITED
SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER
COPIES TO:
ELD/HKD
HD/FED
MR BURROWS
HD/PLANNING STAFF
MR MARTIN
HD/PUSD
MR FLOWER
MR COLES
SPD
PS/LADY YOUNG
PS/MR LUCE PS/PUS
SIR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD MR WRIGHT
LEGAL ADVISERS ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE
PUSD
NO 10 DOWNING ST
SIR A PARSONS
11
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MR WALKER, RESEARCH DEPT
MR ROBERTS NEWS D
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