TNAG-1263-FCO40-1606-Parliamentary-contacts-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 29

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DESKBY 200100Z

FM FCO 19160OZ DEC 83

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1351 OF 19 DECEMBER

ANDTTO IMMEDIATE PEKING.

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: MR HAL MILLER MP

1.

HKK 040/16.

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

? 2 DEL 1983

REGISTRY Action Takus

DESK OFFICER INDSK

PA

MR MILLER TOLD MR LUCE RECENTLY THAT HIS 'SOURCE' IN PEKING

HAD TOLD HIM THAT THE CHINESE WERE PERFECTLY HAPPY TO HOLD

INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS ON HONG KONG ANYWHERE, AND THAT THE HEAD

OF THE NCNA IN HONG KONG HAD FULL AUTHORITY TO LEAD DISCUSSIONS

ON THEIR BEHALF AT ANY LEVEL, INFORMALLY OR MORE FORMALLY.

MILLER'S CONTACTS HAVE APPARENTLY ASKED HIM FOR HMG'S REACTION TO

THIS PROPOSAL.

2.

A

WE ARE SCEPTICAL THERE HAS BEEN NO PREVIOUS

INDICATION THAT THE CHINESE WISHED TO CONDUCT

DISCUSSIONS THROUGH ANY CHANNELS BUT THE TALKS THEMSELVES AND

THE INFORMAL CONTACTS IN PEKING ASSOCIATED WITH THEM, NOR THAT

XU JIATUN HAD ANY AUTHORITY TO ACT IN THIS WAY. INDEED, XU NOW

APPEARS TO BE KEEPING A MUCH LOWER PROFILE THAN PREVIOUSLY.

3.

GRATEFUL FOR BOTH YOUR COMMENTS DESKBY 210930Z.

see (81)

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HOWE

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MR DONALD

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