TNAG-1261-FCO40-1601-Future-of-Hong-Kong-role-of-UK-Ministers-and-senior-official-1983 — Page 7

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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SECRET AND PERSONA 1299

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2 5 JUL 1983

51

6 July 1983

Fuhire of Hury Key. Role of Miniskis & Senin Official'

Sir Edward Youde GCMG, MBE Governor and Commander-in-Chief HONG KONG

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1. Although we covered the ground during your Gecent visi I probably should reply in writing to your letter of 4 June about the state of our talks with the Chinese, on the question of Ministerial attention to the Hong Kong issue and Ministerial visits. In fact, of course, events have moved on since then including, in particular, the agreement to open the second phase of the talks in Peking on 12 July and the visit of yourself and the unofficial members of EXCO to London, which has just taken place.

2.

On the first point, I hope that you gained the impression from your time in London that nobody involved here, from the Prime Minister downwards, is in the slightest doubt about the seriousness of the problem, the importance to be attached to it or the need to deploy the necessary resources to it.

3. I also hope that you felt that the visit of the unofficials went well and that the Secretary of State and the Prime Minister made the right impression. This certainly seemed to be the case in my judgement. While not pretending to be an expert, the Secretary of State showed a clear awareness of the essential elements, as of course did the Prime Minister. The Secretary of State made it clear that he would like to visit Hong Kong before too long and when his diary permitted, but that he would, of course, come earlier if there were a special reason for doing so, or a serious situation which had to be dealt with. In practice, as I told you, it is very doubtful whether, in the absence of a major problem connected with Hong Kong, he will be able to fit in his trip to the Far East before the first months of next year. Richard Luce was, of course, present at the talks both in the Office and at No 10, and was very warmly introduced to the unofficials by the Secretary of State. I hope that this too will have done some good, and he, as you know, hopes to visit Hong Kong perhaps in September. For what it was worth, I also

SECRET AND PERSONAL

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