TNAG-1256-FCO40-1589-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 28

CONFIDENTIAL

00 ATHENS

00 ROME

00 PEKING

00 TOKYO

00 CANBERRA

00 WELLINGTON

GRS 1108

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO 201230Z OCT 82

ין

TO IMMEDIATE CERTAIN MISSIONS AND DEPENDENT TERRITORIES GUIDANCE TELEGRAM NUMBER 192 OF 20 OCTOBER 1982

THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG

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INTRODUCTION

1. FOLLOWING MRS THATCHER'S RECENT VISIT TO CHINA (22/26 SEPTEMBER) YOU MAY ALREADY BE RECEIVING REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION ON HER TALKS WITH CHINESE LEADERS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. 2. THIS GUIDANCE CONTAINS BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON HONG KONG'S PRESENT STATUS AS WELL AS A LINE TO TAKE IN ANSWERING QUESTIONS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE. YOU MAY DRAW FREELY ON THIS EXCEPT WHERE OTHERWISE INDICATED BUT YOU SHOULD AVOID INITIATING DISCUSSION ON THIS SUBJECT.

THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO CHINA

3. MRS THATCHER'S VISIT TO CHINA, THE FIRST BY A BRITISH PRIME MINISTER IN OFFICE, PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE DISCUSSIONS WITH CHINESE LEADERS ON HONG KONG A STAGE FURTHER. AT THE END OF HER TALKS THE FOLLOWING AGREED JOINT STATEMENT WAS ISSUED ON 24 SEPTEMBER.

'TODAY THE LEADERS OF BOTH COUNTRIES HELD FAR-REACHING

TALKS IN A FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. BOTH LEADERS MADE CLEAR THEIR RESPECTIVE POSITIONS ON THIS SUBJECT.

THEY AGREED TO ENTER TALKS THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS

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CONFIDENTIAL