TNAG-1257-FCO40-1590-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 144

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6. THE ACCOUNT BY THORN WAS FOR FROM CLEAR, BUT I DID NOT WANT TO SEE ANY FURTHER EXPANSION OR CLARIFICATION IN FRONT OF MY EUROPEAN COLLEAGUES. SINCE THORN WAS MOVING ON TO ANOTHER ENGAGEMENT I CONFINED MYSELF TO ASKING FOR A COPY OF THE RELEVANT PART OF THE RECORD. THIS THORN PROMISED ME BUT HIS STAFF WILL NOT HAVE IT READY UNTIL THEY ARE BACK IN BRUSSELS. THEY PROMISED TO TELEGRAPH IT. GRATEFUL IF WE COULD MAKE URGENT CONTACT WITH THEM IN BRUSSELS.

COMMENT

7. THE ABOVE IS UNFORTUNATE IN A NUMBER OF RESPECTS:-

(A)

(3)

(C)

DENG SEEMS TO HAVE CHOSEN TO RESPOND TO DELICATE AND INFORMAL BILATERAL SOUNDINGS BY SEMI-PUBLIC REMARKS

TO A THIRD PARTY:

THORN CARRIED ON THE GOOD WORK BY REPORTING TO ALL ASSEMBLED EC AMBASSADORS INSTEAD OF BILATERALLY TO US:

MOST SERIOUSLY, IF CORRECTLY REPORTED, DENG SEEMS TO BE UNDER A SERIOUS MISAPPREHENSION AND HAS TAKEN THE SUGGESTION IN MY CONVERSATION WITH YAO GUANG ON 28 CCTOBER (MY TEL NO 1110) AS A PROPOSAL FOR JOINT ADMINISTRATION, AN IDEA CANVASSED IN CERTAIN HONG KONG CIRCLES EARLIER IN THE SUMMER AND CONDEMNED BY ZHOU NAN IN HIS INTERVIEW WITH CLARK IN AUGUST (PARA 7 OF EMBASSY RECORD OF 22 AUGUST). IN MY CONVERSATION WITH YAO I MADE IT VERY PLAIN THAT ANY SECONDMENT OF BRITISH PERSONNEL TO ADMINISTRATIVE POSTS WOULD BE AT THE REQUEST OF THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AND UNDER THE

DIRECTION OF THE HEAD OF THE S.A.R. WE WERE

DETERMINED TO PROCEED ON THE BASIS OF CHINESE PROPOSALS. IF, ON THE OTHER HAND, DENG IS NOT CONFUSED AND HIS REMARKS ARE CONSIDERED, TVVVHE IMPLICATIONS COULD BE

SERIOUS.

8.1 PROPUSE TO TAKE THE FIRST AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR CLAR-

IFICATION WITH YAO GUANG. I HOPE TO BE TAKING DEPEK DAY TO PAY A COURTESY CALL ON HIM ON TUESDAY 8 NOVEMBER. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, I SHALL THEN REFER TO DENG'S REMARKS TO THORN AND SAY THAT ALTHOUGH I DO NOT HAVE A FULL RECORD, THERE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS MISUNDERSTANDING. THE IDEAS I WAS PUTTING TO THE

CHINESE VICE MINISTER ON AN INFORMAL BASIS WERE, OF COURSE,

ON THE FIRM UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WERE PROCEEDING ON THE BASIS

OF THE CHINESE PROPOSALS AND THAT ANY ADMINISTRATIVE POSTS

RETAINED BY BRITISH PERSONNEL WOULD BE AT THE REQUEST OF THE SAR

AND SUBJECT TO THE DIRECTION OF THE HEAD OF THE SAR GOVERNMENT.

2

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THIS.