TNAG-1257-FCO40-1590-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 36

GRS 290

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO 101700Z NOV 83

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

TELEGRAM NUMBER 786 OF 10 NOVEMBEER

CONFIDENTIAL

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, ATHENS (FOR PRIVATE SECRETARY) INFO ROUTINE UKREP BRUSSELS

JOPY

555

DESK

520 YOUR TELNO 1153 AND 1154: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: CHINESE REMARKS-

TO THORN.

INDEX

1. WE LEARNT YESTERDAY EVENING THAT, DESPITE ALL OUR INJUNCTIONS, A FULL RECORD OF THORN'S CONVERSATIONS WITH DENG AND WU HAD BEEN CIRCULATED WITHIN THE COMMISSION. WE UNDERSTAND THAT ABOUT 15 COPIES WERE CIRCULATED, INCLUDING TO, THE COMMISSION SPOKESMAN'S

GROUP.

2.

WE DISCUSSED WITH UKREP. THEY REMONSTRATED BOTH WITH JENKINS (COMMISSION) AND WITH SCHAUB, THORN'S DEPUTY CHEF DE

JENKINS EXPRESSED CABINET, WHO HAD ACCOMPANIED HIM TO PEKING.

!

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THE VIEW, WITH WHICH WE WERE FORCED TO CONCUR, THAT IT WOULD ONLY EXCITE ATTENTION AND INTEREST TO TRY TO RECALL COPIES OF THE RECORD. SCHAUB SAID THAT THORN HAD GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO . AVOID REVEALING DETAILS OF WHAT HAD BEEN SAID TO HIM ON HONG KONG (SIC). THORN HAD ALSO GIVEN STRICT INSTRUCTIONS TO HIS SPOKEMAN TO REFUSE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON HONG KONG. THE RECORD HAD GONE ONLY TO THOSE DEALING WITH CHINA, WHO WERE AWARE OF THE NEED FOR DISCRETION. HE WOULD SEE THAT THEY WERE REMINDED

THE

OF IT. HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THERE WOULD BE NO LEAK. 3. THIS IS A MOST UNFORTUNATE EPISODE, BUT WE DOUBT WHETHER ANYTHING MORE CAN BE DONE TO PUT IT RIGHT. COMMISSION IS NOTORIOUSLY LEAKY, AND WE CERTAINLY CANNOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE GIST OR THE RECORD OF THORN'S CONVERSATIONS MIGHT BE PASSED EITHER TO THE PRESS OR TO ANOTHER COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT. WE ARE CONSIDERING WHAT IMPLICATIONS THIS MAY HAVE FOR OUR POLICY, WHICH AS YOU KNOW HAS UP TO NOW BEEN VERY RESTRICTIVE, TOWARDS THIS BRIEFING OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.

HOWE

NOV 1983

Į REGISTRY Action Teken

CM123111

See 552

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

LIMITED

ED/HKD

ED/FED

ED/PLANNING STAFF

ED/PUSD

D/HD/PUSD(MR FLOWER)

RESEARCH DEPT(MR WALKER)

LEGAL ADVISER(SIR IAN SINCLAIR)

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/R LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD MR WRIGHT

CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES TO: (VIA DISTR. KUUM)

SIR PHILIP MOORE BUCKINGHAM PALACE PS/LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

PS/HOME SECRETARY

PS/CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL

PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND

INDUSTRY

COPIES TO:

(VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS

NEWS DEPT

MA BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR A PARSONS

IT

#1

MR MARTIN ASSESSMENT STAFF CABINET OFFICE CABINET OFFICE

MR GOODALL

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HR BRENNAN ..... PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL

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