TNAG-1253-FCO40-1586-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 77

THIS IS A COPY

THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RETAINED IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER

SECTION 3 (4) OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1958

SECRET

6644

2

(1975)

A FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE ALTHOUGH THE CHINESE HAD CONTINUED TO TAKE A

FIRM LINE. ROBERTSON PROBED HARD ON THE BACKGROUND TO THE 'SECON

PHASE'. I REMINDED HIM OF WHAT I HAD SAID TO SIR VICTOR GARLAND

ON 23 JUNE (OUR TELNO 215) SAYING THAT THE ATMOSPHERE HAD BEEN

VASTLY IMPROVED BY AN EXCHANGE

BETWEEN THE PRIME

MINISTER AND PREMIER ZHAO. ROBERTSON SAID THAT HIS PEOPLE HAD

ASSUMED FROM THE PRESS STORIES THAT THERE HAD BEEN SUCH AN

EXCHANGE

*

I SAID

THAT I COULD NOT DISCLOSE THE DETAIL, BUT THE PRIME MINISTER HAD

MADE IT CLEAR THAT SOVEREIGNTY WAS NOT IN HER GIFT BUT WAS SUBJECT

TO PARLIAMENT'S DECISION. SHE HAD STRESSED THE NEED FOR FINDING

ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WOULD WORK IN PRACTICE AFTER 1997 BUT WHICH HA

TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO PARLIAMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AS WELL

AS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CHINA. THE CHINESE HAD DISTORTED THIS IN

VARIOUS LEAKS CLAIMING THAT WE HAD CONCEDED SOVEREIGNTY. THIS WAS

NOT SO. AS I TOLD STR VICTOR GARLAND WE HAD CONCEDED NOTHING.

WHAT WE HAD DONE WAS TO STRESS THAT ANY RECOMMENDATION ON

SOVEREIGNTY TO PARLIAMENT COULD ONLY BE MADE ON STRICT

CONDITIONS AND ONLY IF A SATISFACTORY ADMINISTRATIVE PACKAGE

COULD BE AGREED.

4.

IN FURTHER CONVERSATION, I TOLD ROBERTSON THAT THE NEXT

SESSION WOULD TAKE PLACE ON 25/26 JULY AND, STRICTLY FOR HIS OWN INFORMATION AND THAT OF HIS FOREIGN MINISTER, ANOTHER WAS PLANNED

FOR 2/3 AUGUST. THIS HAD NOT BEEN ANNOUNCED. WE SAW ADVANTAGE IN

KEEPING UP THE MOMENTUM OF THE TALKS, AND IT WAS ENCOURAGING THAT

THE CHINESE HAD SEEN AHEAD TO THE ROUND AFTER NEXT WEEK'S MEETING.

5.

ROBERTSON ASKED IF I COULD SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE

CONTENT OF THE TALKS IN THE SECOND PHASE. I SAID I WAS NOT AT

LIBERTY TO GO INTO DETAIL. IT WAS LIKELY TO BE A LONG, HARD SLOG.

BOTH SIDES IN THE OPENING STAGES HAD SET OUT THEIR POSITIONS. THE

CHINESE HAD STRESSED THAT SOVEREIGNTY AND ADMINISTRATION WERE

INSEPARABLE IN THEIR VIEW. WE INSISTED THAT THE CHINESE SHOULD

LISTEN WITH AN OPEN MIND BEFORE COMMITTING THEMSELVES TO A PLAN

WHICH WE BELIEVED WOULD NOT SUCCEED. OUR AIM WAS TO CONTINUE TO

EDUCATE THE CHINESE IN THE REALITIES OF THE SITUATION AND TO

DEMONSTRATE THE NEED FOR INSULATION FROM CHINA SUCH AS WAS

2

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