DIE
SECRET
-2-
Briefing for Substantive Negotiations
5.
The Governor said that he would be discussing the EXCO the line which should be taken with the Chinese if talks start and he goes to Peking. This would I understand be based on the exchange of telegrams last autumn on the presentation of how Hong Kong works and the advantages of the present system. (Your telnos 1216, 1217 and 1250, Peking telno 699 and FCO telno 914). It will be very helpful to see how discussion in EXCO goes on this.
6.
At this end we are giving some advance thought to a number of points which could arise if talks really got down to detail. Some of these follow on from the annexes to the special study of August 1982. The problem is that many matters cannot be carried much further forward without discussion with other departments (nationality is an obvious case). The Prime Minister has made clear that there can as yet be no discussion beyond No 10, the FCO and now, on a limited rule, 'the MOD. Even when she decides to extend her consultation on general aspects of the problem to other colleagues, it may still be quite inappropriate to tackle Whitehall departments on points of detail. So much would depend on the state of the talks. But we must be ready. We are therefore going through the Annexes and working out questions which we might need to discuss with other departments at some stage. We shall be consulting you about this in due course.
Taiwan and KMT activities in Hong Kong
We are working on a paper on the recent signs of Chinese restiveness on this subject and are telegraphing separately.
6.
Yours
Dish
R D Clift
Hong Kong and General Department
cc: A C Galsworthy Esq
PEKING
SECRET
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