PP HONG KONG
GRS
400
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY
HKK040/5
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
NOV 1983
30496
1
(539
FM FCO 08130OZ NOV 83
DECK OFFICER
INOX
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1165 OF 8 NOVEMBER
الله
|~23/11
AND TO PRIORITY PEKING
FUTURE OF HONG KONG. BRIEFING THE JAPANESE: PARA 4 OF MCLAREN'S
494) TELELETTER SGD 4/03 OF 31 OCTOBER TO DONALD REFERS.
202)1. FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF OUR TELNO 332 OF 5 SEPTEMBER TO TOKYO
2.
GIVING LINE FOR USE WITH JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER IN SEPTEMBER
''WHEN YOU DISCUSS CHINA WITH THE JAPANESE, THEY WILL ALMOST
CERTAINLY ASK YOU ABOUT THE HONG KONG NEGOTIATIONS. IN REPLY
YOU SHOULD DRAW ON GUIDANCE TELNO 83 OF 8 JULY, EMPHASIS ING
THE NEED FOR US AND THE CHINESE TO ACHIEVE COMMON UNDERSTANDING
AS TO HOW TO ACHIEVE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. YOU MAY ADD THE
FOLLOWING POINTS:
(A) 3 ROUNDS OF DETAILED TALKS WERE HELD IN PEKING ON 12/13
JULY AND 2/3 AUGUST. THEY WILL RESUME ON 22/23 SEPTEMBER.
(B) THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG TOOK PART IN ALL THESE TALKS AND
WILL CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE AS APPROPRIATE. THE CHINESE ARE
INSISTENT THAT THE TALKS ARE BILATERAL BETWEEN BRITAIN
AND CHINA, AND THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS NO ROLE AS A THIRD PARTY. BUT NATURALLY THE GOVERNOR HAS TO REPORT TO THE
HONG KONG EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, WHOM WE CONSULT CLOSELY.
(C) IF PRESSED ON CHINESE LEAKS (EG HU YAOBANG'S REMARKS TO
JAPANESE JOURNALISTS ON 15 AUGUST) YOU SHOULD SPEAK AS IN PARA
10 OF GUIDANCE TUR. BUT YOU COULD ADD THAT THE JAPANESE SHOULD
NOT PLACE TOO MUCH RELIANCE ON CHINESE PUBLIC REMARKS,
PARTICULARLY ABOUT HMG'S POSITION. THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH
CHINESE NEGOTIATING TACTICS.
(D) THE CHINESE ARE TAKING A TOUGH LINE ON SOVEREIGNTY AND DO
NOT APPEAR FULLY TO UNDERSTAND WHY ADMINISTRATIVE CONTINUITY IS
NECESSARY. BUT THE ATMOSPHERE REMAINS FRIENDLY. WE HOPE THAT
AS THE TALKS GO ON THEIR UNDERSTANDING WILL INCREASE OF THE
COMPLEX PRACTICAL BASIS OF HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND
VES, WI) aber a
1
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.