TNAG-1258-FCO40-1591-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 123

PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAT.

(190)

FLAG A

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

MK K04015

Present:

See 5B

Mr Richard Luce MP

W

Mr Paul Wolfowitz

Mr Roy Osborne, Private Secretary

Mr S J Gomersall, British Embassy

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

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