TNAG-1253-FCO40-1586-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 136

SECRET

MKK040/5

RECEIVED IN TONE) NO. 51 -7 JUL 1983

Sevety it state

FROM:

A E Donald

DATE:

703

PS/PUS

DESK OFRO INDEX

RELATAY

Eren Takes

cc:

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28 June 1983

PS/Mr Luce Mr Wright

Mr Clift

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

1. We obtained authority from the Prime Minister to brief

Mr Bill Hayden generally on the future of Hong Kong before his

visit to the territory. I believe that this recent political briefing

informed.

has kept our Australian allies reasonably well

2. On the other hand, we ought to bring the Americans up-to- date on developments. We provided a brief for Williamsburg but I do not think that there was any chance to talk about Hong Kong. I suggest that when Mr Shultz is here on 4-5 July we should take steps to bring him up-to-date. The best way would

probably be for the Secretary of State to say a few words during

his formal talks. HK Department will provide a brief if the

Secretary of State agrees.

3. I should perhaps add that when I saw Mr Michael Cook, the

Director-General of the Australian Office of National Assess-

ments, he remarked that he had heard that the Americans were dissatisfied at not having been taken sufficiently into our confidence on the problem of the future of Hong Kong. I did not

question Mr Cook on his sources, but I suspect that it is at the

working level or at the level of senior officials that he may

have picked up this impression. As far as I know, both Vice-

[President Bush and Mr Shultz have been pleased that we have been

able to tell them as much as we have about the course of the

talks with the Chinese.

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THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RETAINED IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER

SECTION 3 (4) OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1958

必

I think that X is probabizz the

best procedure.

SECRET

Antonald

A E Donald

Amy, Arland 20

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