CONFIDENTIAL
ONLY FOR USE IF PRESSED
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7. IF PRESSED ON WHAT IS MEANT BY A SECOND PHASE OF THE TALKS,
YOU MAY SAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING IMPORTANT AND USEFUL
EXCHANGES WITH THE CHINESE SINCE LAST SEPTEMBER. A POINT HAS
NOW BEEN REACHED WHERE THE TALKS CAN MOVE INTO A NEW AND MORE
DETAILED PHASE.
8.
IF PRESSED ON WHETHER BRITAIN HAS CONCEDED SOVEREIGNTY
YOU SHOULD SAY THAT THE VIEW OF BOTH GOVERNMENTS ARE WELL KNOWN.
YOU COULD POINT OUT THAT SUCH A QUESTION WOULD IN ANY CASE BE
A MATTER FOR PARLIAMENT TO DECIDE. YOU SHOULD NOT REPEAT NOTr
ELABORATE FURTHER ON THIS POINT.
...
9. IF PRESSED ON THE AGENDA FOR THE TALKS YOU SHOULD REFER BACK
TO THE JOINT STATEMENT ISSUED ON 24 SEPTEMBER 1982, IN WHICH
BOTH SIDES 'AGREED TO ENTER TALKS THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS
WITH THE COMMON AIM OF MAINTAINING THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY
OF HONG KONG', AND DECLINE TO REVEAL THE CONTENT OF SUBSEQUENT
EXCHANGES.
10. IF PRESSED TO COMMENT ON ALLEGED CHINESE LEAKS OF THEIR
PROPOSALS FOR THE FUTURE, YOU SHOULD SAY THAT IN OUR VIEW IT
IS THE TALKS WHICH MATTER, AND THEY ARE NOT PREJUDICED BY
ANYTHING SAID OUTSIDE THEM.
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11.
YOU SHOULD CONTINUE TO AVOID BEING DRAWN INTO SPECULATION
ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE. YOU SHOULD ALSO CONTINUE TO AVOID COMMENT
WHICH MIGHT PROVOKE AN UNFAVOURABLE REACTION FROM THE CHINESE IF
IT REACHED THEIR EARS.
12. STRICTLY FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION, PROGRESS SO FAR HAS BEEN
SLOW AND IT IS CLEAR THAT DIFFICULT NEGOTIATIONS STILL LIE AHEAD.
THE TASK OF MAINTAINING CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG HAS NOT REPEAT
NOT BEEN MADE EASIER BY CHINESE LEAKS. IN THE LAST COUPLE OF
MONTHS THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNS OF A RATHER GREATER CHINESE
APPRECIATION OF THE DELICACY OF THE SITUATION. THIS MAKES
IT ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOULD KEEP OUR OWN CARDS
TIGHTLY TO OUR CHEST.
HOWE
BY TELEGRAPH
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MOSCOW
PRETORIA
BANGKOK
JAKARTA
[ROUTINE]
AND SAVING TO CERTAIN OTHER POSTS
CANBERRA WELLINGTON NEW DELHI KUALA LUMPUR SINGAPORE HONG KONG
BTC HONG KONG
FCO/WHITEHALL
INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
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CONFIDENTIAL
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION GUIDANCE
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