DD HONG KONG 1301002
GRS 286
RESTRICTED
DESKBY 130100Z
FM FCO 121538Z JUL 83
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 630 OF 12 JULY
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
RESTRICTED
46
ник
HKK 0115
18
4463
G
1
MKK040/2
19 JUL 1983
195)
MIPT FUTURE OF HONG KONG
1.
BBC2 NEWSNIGHT PROGRAMME
FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF ADLEY'S REMARKS. IN ANSWER TO
A QUESTION WHETHER HE THOUGHT THE PRIME MINISTER HAD CONCEDED SOVEREIGNTY, ADLEY SAID HE THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS A CONFLICT BETWEEN REALITY AND LEGALITY, BUT THERE WAS NOW MORE REALISM.
2.
IN ANSWER TO FURTHER QUESTIONS ADLEY SAID
(A) PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ACCEPTED THENEED FOR A CHANGE IN LIFESTYLE, BUT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD MADE A
SUBSTANTIAL CONCESSION BY CHANGING THEIR CONSTITUTION
TO ENABLE HONG KONG TO CONTINUE ITS CAPITALIST LIFESTYLE
IN THE END THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG HAD TO RELY ON
CHINA'S GOOD FAITH BRITAIN 'WOULD NOT GO TO WAR' OVER
HONG KONG,
#t
(B) AN ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION WOULD BE ACHIEVED, AND A SPECIAL
ZONE UNDER THE CHINESE FLAG OFFERED MORE STABILITY THAN
A 'FORTRESS HONG KONG UNDER THE UNION JACK'.
(C) IT WAS NECESSARY TO STOP 'ABUSING THE PEOPLE'S
REPUBLIC' AND TO RECOGNISE THE NEED TO LEARN TO LIVE WITH
CHINA TO CONTINUE TALKING OF SOVEREIGNTY AND FLAGS WAS
UNREALISTIC AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGING TO THE PEOPLE OF
HONG KONG IF THEY WANTED A MODUS VIVENDI WITH PEKING.
(D) BRITAIN AND CHINA SHARED THE AIM OF PRESERVING THE
ECONOMY OF HONG KONG, BUT CHINA UNDERSTANDABLY WANTED
SOVEREIGNTY THE LEASE IMPLIED THAT MOST OF THE
TERRITORY BELONGED TO CHINA ANYWAY.
(E)
IF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TRIED TO EXERCISE A VETO
THEY WOULD PUT THEMSELVES AT ODDS WITH PEKING AND DESTROY
1
RESTRICTED
/ THE
3
See (45)
Lee (198)
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.