PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
RECORD OF CONVERSATION BETWEEN MR RICHARD LUCE, MINISTER OF
STATE, FOREIGN OFFICE AND MR PAUL WOLFOWITZ, ASSISTANT SECRETARY
OF STATE FOR EAST ASIA, AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT ON 26 OCTOBER
_HK KOYOS
| RECEIVED IN REGIS. MA
Present:
ر
W 1983
495
See (5B
Mr Richard Luce MP
NDE.
PA
Mr Roy Osborne, Private Secretary
Mr S J Gomersall, British Embassy
Mr-Paul Wolfowitz
Mr Bill Brown, Deputy Assistant
Secretary
Mr Will Itoh, Special Assistant
to Mr Wolfowitz
HONG KONG
1. Mr Luce said that, following the Governor's briefing of
Mr Weinberger, he wished to give Mr Wolfowitz as far as possible
a picture of how the talks were going. He asked that his
remarks should be closely held. Mr Wolfowitz agreed, and
indicated later that in view of the sensitivity of his own remarks
on China, he would be grateful if we could do likewise.
2. Mr Luce said the problem was how to maintain the prosperity
and stability of Hong Kong against the background of the reality
of the expiry of the lease in 1997. From his own recent visit,
he believed that most Hong Kong people at all levels were
concerned first and foremost with the preservation of their
current way of life, with their free press, judiciary and
convertible currency. They seemed less concerned about precisely
how this was achieved. As for the Chinese pride, and sensitivity
about the unequal treaties and the persistence of the trappings
of colonialism on the Chinese main land, was a serious factor
behind the rigid position they had adopted on the inseparability of: sovereignty and the right of administration. They said that
once Britain accepted their views on these issues, anything else
was negotiable; they had produced a ten point plan which they
believed covered the necessary freedoms.
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
/3.5.
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