TNAG-1257-FCO40-1590-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 35

DD 110200Z CANBERRA

PP PEKING

GRS 260

SECRET

DEDIP

DESKBY 110200Z

FM FCO 101730Z NOV 83

SECRET DEDIP

31148

NIKKOAD/S "TOP COP1556

RECEIVED IN

14 NON KOS

DESK OFFY 13

PA

•CHB

TO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA (PERSONAL FOR HIGH COMMISSIONER) TELEGRAM NUMBER 376 OF 10 NOVEMBER

REPEATED FOR INFO PRIORITY PEKING (PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR), HONG

KONG

545 YOUR TELNO 574: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: BRIEFING THE AUSTRALIANS

1. YOU WERE RIGHT TO ASSUME THAT BOSWELL'S REPORT IS EXAGGERATED

THERE IS NO NOTICE TO QUIT AND NO CRISIS TALKS WITH SIR P CRADOCK, WHO REMAINS IN PEKING.

·

2.

THE FACTS ARE THAT THE PRESS SPOKESMAN OF CHINESE MFA ANNOUNCED AT WEEKLY PRESS BRIEFING IN PEKING ON 9 NOVEMBER THAT,

'CHINA WILL ANNOUNCE ITS POLICY AND GUIDELINES FOR HONG KONG NOT LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 1984. WE HOPE THAT BEFORE THEN

AGREEMENT CAN BE REACHED WITH THE BRITISH SIDE. BUT IF NO AGREEMENT IS REACHED, CHINA WILL UNILATERALLY ANNOUNCE ITS POLICY

AND GUIDELINES'.

3. A NUMBER OF SENIOR CHINESE HAVE TAKEN A SIMILAR LINE IN THE PAST BOTH PUBLICLY AND IN PRIVATE. AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THIS IS THE FIRST 'FORMAL' CHINESE STATEMENT ON THE SEPTEMBER 1984

DEADLINE. IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN PARTLY MOTIVATED BY A CHINESE

WISH TO CLARIFY THEIR POSITION. THERE HAS BEEN RECENT PRESS SPECULATION THAT THE DEADLINE' HAS BEEN RELAXED. THE LATEST STATEMENT COUNTERACTS THIS. BUT IN OUR VIEW IT DOES NOT EXPLICIT LY RULE OUT A CONTINUATION OF DISCUSSIONS AFTER SEPTEMBER 1984. 4. WE ARE TAKING THE LINE, IF QUESTIONED, THAT THE TALKS ARE AIMED AT REACHING THE RIGHT SOLUTION. WE ARE CONCENTRATING ON

THESE, WITH NO RIGID TIMETABLE.

5. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR CONFIRMATION THAT YOU HAVE

(480BRIEFED HENDERSON ALONG LINES OF OUR TELNO 365.

КОШЕ

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

E/G

See (558

COPIES TO: (VIA DISTR. ROOM) SIR FILIP CORE BUCKINGHAM PAL PS/LORD PRESIDENT OF THE-COUNCH PS/HOME SECRETARY

PS/CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL

PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND

ED/PLANNING STAFF FD/POSD-

D/ED/PUSD(FLOWER)

RESEAROT DEPT(UR. WALKER)

LEGAL ADVISER(SIR LAN SINCLAIR)

PS/

PS/LADY YOUNG

PSA LUCE

PS/PCS/

SIR J BULLAED

MR GEFFARD

MR DONALD

MR FRIGHT

SECRET

INDUSTRY

COPIES TO:

(VIA ADR)

NEWS DEPT

MR ROBERTS

IT

tt

MA BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR A PARSONS MR KARTING ASSESSMENT STAFF CABINET OFFICE MR GOODALL CABINET OFFICE MR BRENNAN

PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL

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