TNAG-1253-FCO40-1586-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 19

245)

DWF TL 38/15

WASHINGTON

PEKING TL 289

GRS 300

SECRET

TELELETTER

R

M1718.

& Mrs Cutest NFA ferme I have Manhed,

SECRET agreeing with Mr. G's line.

Exter

Pi.

CMissy

FED & NAD

(peromal for

Mr. Marshall)

For action please m1770

FROM A C GALSWORTHY, PEKING

NER

15 AUGUST 1993

FOLLOWING FOR: R P MARGOLIS ESQ, ACTING POLITICAL ADVISER,

HONG Kế

R D CLIFT ESC, KD FCO

S J GOMERSALL ESO, WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: CONGRESSMAN SOLARZ

HKK040 5

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

16 AUG 1983

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

DESK OFFICER INDEX

1. I WAS INVITED TO A BRIEFING LUNCH ON 12 AUGUST AMERICAN AMBASSADOR FOR CONGRESSMAN SOLAPZ. THE AUSTRALIAN AND JAPANESE AMBASSADORS WERE ALSO PRESENT.

2. INEVITABLY SOLARZ RAISED HONG KONG WITH SNE, I SPOKE GENERALLY ALONG THE LINES WHICH THE EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON VERE AUTORISED TO USE WITH PROMINENT AVERICANS OUTSIDE GOVERMENT (CLIFT'S TELELETTER OF 11 MARCH TO GOMERSALL). THE ONLY POINT OF DIFFICULTY WAS WHEN SOLAPZ ASKED ME POINT PLANK WHETHER OUR POSITION MAS THAT ONLY BRITISH ADGINISTRATION WOULD DO FOR HONG KONG. I DID NOT FEEL ABLE TO GIVE HIM A STRAIGHT YES TO THIG, SINCE IT WOULD HAVE REVEALED OUR EXACT POSITION IN THE TALKS. NOR OBVIOUSLY COULD I SAY NO. I TRIED TO TURN THE QUESTION AROUND BY SAYING THAT AT THE MOMENT IT WAS BRITISH ADMINISTRATION THAT PROVIDED AN INSULATOR FROM THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC. IF HONG KONG HERE TO CONTINUE TO BE PROSPEROUS INVESTORS MUST BE CONFIDENT THAT THERE WOULD BE AN INGULATOR FROM PEKING INTERFERENCE. IF YOU VERS TO REMOVE THE PRITISH, YOU WOULD HAVE TO THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE TO PUT IN THEIR PLACE. IT WAS NOT EASY TO THIK OF SOMETHING EFFECTIVE. WE ASKED ME IF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE COULD NOT PUN HONG KONG THEMSELVES. I SAID THAT THAT BEGGED THE QUESTION OF THE GUARANTEE THAT PEKING WOULD NOT INTERFERS IN THE IS AFFAIRS. HE DID NOT PURSUE THE QUESTIONING ANY FURTHER.

3. I KNOW THAT SOLARZ IS COMING TO HONG KONG: I SUPPOSE IT IS POSSIBLE THAT HE MIGHT SAY THAT I HAD ENVISAGED THE POSSIBILITY OF THE REMOVAL OF BRITISH ADMINISTRATION FROM HONG KONG, THOUGH THIS WOULD IN FACT RE A DISTORTION OF THE SENSE IN WHICH I SPOKE. HOWEVER I THOUGHT IT BETTER THAT YOU SHOULD DE FOREWARNED.

SIGNED...A GALSWORTH.

NANN