TNAG-1256-FCO40-1589-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 14

PP CANBERRA

PP PEKING

GRS 424

DE DI P

SECRET

FM FCO 281105Z OCT 83

SECRET DE DIP

RECEIVED IN NEGISTRY

1983

DEUN HVICE

INDIAN

PA

481.

TOP COPY

Cr 3

28047 1

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Toker

TO PRIORITY DEDIP CANBERRA (PERSONAL FOR HIGH COMMISSIONER)

TELEGRAM NUMBER 365 OF 28 OCTOBER

INFO PRIORITY PEKING (PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR)

AND PRIORITY HONG KONG

MY TELNO 319 FUTURE OF HONG KONG BRIEFING OF AUSTRALIANS

1. WE UNDERTOOK TO SEND YOU SUMMARIES OF THE EXPLANATORY PAPERS

ON HONG KONG THATWWE HAD GIVEN THE CHINSE IN AUGUST THESE AVE

NOW BEEN RECAST INTO A FORM SUITABLE FOR PASSING TO PARSONS ON A

PERSONAL BASIS. THEY FOLLOW BY NEXT VVAILABLE BAG TOGETHERWWITH

THE RECORD OF SR VICTOR GARLAND'S CAL ON MR LUCE ON 17

OCTOBER.

2. THE SUMMARY MATERIAL MUST NECESSARILY BE THIN. WE THEREFORE

SUGGEST THAT THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF A FURTHER MEETING WITH PARSONS

SHOUDD BE TO BRING HIM UP O DATE ON DEVELOPMENT ON HONG KONG

SINE MR WHITNEY'S CALL ON HENDERSON ON 6 OCTOBER.

3. YOU COULD SPEAK TO PARSONS ALONG THE FOLLOWING LINES WHICH

REFLECT THE BRIEFING WHICH CLIFT GAVE BENSON OF THE AUSTRALIAN

HIGH COMMISSION ON 26 OCTOBER

4.

THE ATMOSPHERE AT THE FIFTH ROUND IN THE SECOND PHASE OF

TALKS (19/20 OCTOBER) WAS SUBSTANTIALLY WARMER THAN IN THE

PREVIOUS ROUNDS. ALTHOUGH THE CHINESE OPENING STATEMENT CONTINUED

TO EMPHASISE THE CHINESE PREMISE OF SOVEREIGNTY/ADMINISTRATIVE

RIGHT.

5. HOWEVER OUR NEGOTIATIONS WERE ABLE TO HAMMER HOME TO THE

CHINESE THAT WE WERE INTERESTED IN MAKING PRACTICAL PROGRESS AND

THE TALKS MADE HEADWAY. THE CHINESE AGREED THAT THEY SHOULD BE

DESCRIBED IN THE JOINT COMMUNIQUE OF 20 OCTOBER AS 'USEFUL AND

CONSTRUCTIVE'. WE PROPOSED THAT ON THE BASIS OF THE CHINESE

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