SECRET
30837
1
MKKO405
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
› NOV 1983
DESE JECICER
INDEX
PA
Axion Tak
OO ATHENS
PP PEKING
GRS 324
SECRET
FM FCO 091645Z NOV 83
TO IMMEDIATE ATHENS
TELEGRAM NUMBER 459 OF 9 NOVEMBER
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, PEKING, UKREP BRUSSELS
FOLLOWING FOR PRIVATE SECRETARY
AS-KA
CHOBI
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: BRIEFING FOR EC FOREIGN MINISTERS
1. AS YOU KNOW, DENG XIAOPING AND FOREIGN MINISTER WU RAISED
HONG KONG WITH M THORN IN PEKING EARLIER THIS MONTH. SUBSEQUENTLY
M THORN BRIEFED EC MINISTERS THERE AND THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION
IN COREPER ON 7 NOVEMBER.
2. THE SECRETARY OF STATE MAY WISH TO HAVE AVAILABLE THE
FOLLOWING POINTS IN CASE THE SUBJECT IS RAISED IN DISCUSSION IN
ATHENS.
POINTS TO MAKE
A. TALKS HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE SINCE SOON AFTER THE PRIME
MINISTER'S VISIT TO CHINA IN SEPTEMBER 1982. ENTERED MORE DETAILED PHASE IN JULY 1983.
COMMON AIM IS TO MAINTAIN STABILITY
AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG. LATEST SESSION ON 19/20 OCTOBER WAS
USEFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE. NEXT SESSION 14/15 NOVEMBER. CONTENT
CONFIDENTIAL. HMG SEEK A SETTLEMENT ACCEPTABLE TO BRITISH AND
CHINESE GOVERNMENTS AND TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. WE WILL
EXAMINE ANY PROPOSALS THAT WOULD MEET THESE CRITERIA, BUT JOINT
OR CO-ADMINISTRATION IS NOT UNDER DISCUSSION.
B.
CHINESE HAVE SAID THAT IF AGREEMENT NOT REACHED BY
SEPTEMBER 1984 THEY WILL MAKE UNILATERAL ANNOUNCEMENT. THIS
IS NOT THE SAME AS SAYING THAT NEGOTIATIONS WOULD END THEN.
ARE NOT WORKING TO ANY DEADLINE BUT GETTING ON AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE. IMPORTANT TO REACH RIGHT SOLUTION.
WE
C. CHINA HAS SAID THAT IF THERE WAS TROUBLE IN HONG KONG BEFORE
1997 THEY MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE THE TERRITORY OVER EARLIER. WE
BELIEVE HOWEVER THEY ARE COMMITTED LIKE US TO REACHING A
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