TNAG-1292-FCO40-1644-United-Nations-Conventions-signed-by-the-UK-extension-to-Hon-1984 — Page 32

GR 900

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AMENDED DISTRIBUTION 7 MARCH 1984 S.OLI

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FM HONG KONG 07020OZ MAR 84

TO PRIORITY F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 599 OF 7 MARCH

INFO PRIORITY PEKING AND LISBON.

-&NAR 1984

ш

for

FCO TELNO 32 TO LISBON: FUTURE OF HONG KONG : MACAU

I SAW THE GOVERNOR OF MACAU FOR ABOUT AN HOUR ON 3 MARCH.

THE GREATER PART OF THE DISCUSSION WAS TAKEN UP WITH AN ACCOUNT

BY THE GOVERNOR OF MACAU OF THE DISPUTE BETWEEN HIMSELF AND THE

MACAU LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.

2. BEFORE BRINGING REAR ADMIRAL ALMEIDA E COSTA UP TO DATE ON THE

TALKS, I REFERRED TO THE TABLING OF THE MOTION FOR DEBATE IN LEGCO ON 14 MARCH, AND SAID THAT IT HAD BEEN AN INITIATIVE BY THE

UNOFFICIALS, NOT INSTIGATED BY THE GOVERNMENT: AND THAT IT WAS

PROCEDURAL IN THAT THE SUBJECT OF THE DEBATE WAS THE NEED FOR

DISCUSSION BEFORE ANY AGREEMENT WAS CONCLUDED. THE CHINESE HAD

INDICATED THAT THEY DID NOT LIKE THIS DEVELOPMENT, BUT THE IR

OBJECTIONS HAD NOT SO FAR BEEN STRONGLY VOICED, AND MIGHT NOT BE

LONG-LASTING. THE CHINESE WOULD NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE COULD

NOT, AND DID NOT WISH TO, PREVENT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG FROM

EXPRESSING THEIR VIEWS.

3. EMPHASISING AGAIN THAT THIS WAS FOR HIS STRICTLY PERSONAL

INFORMATION, I MADE THE FOLLOWING POINTS TO REAR ADMIRAL

ALMEIDA E COSTA:

(A) WE HAD ARRIVED AT A FORMULA WITH THE CHINESE ON THE BASIS OF

WHICH WE HAD BEEN ABLE TO PURSUE A DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE

ARRANGEMENTS POST 1997. WHILE WE HAD FIRMLY RESERVED OUR

POSITION AS A WHOLE, WE WERE EXPLORING WITH THE CHINESE HOW

THEIR PLAN FOR HONG KONG POST 1997 MIGHT WORK. IF ON THIS

BASIS ARRANGEMENTS COULD BE FOUND WHICH WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE, THEN HMG WOULD BE PREPARED TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO

PARLIAMENT AS THE BASIS OF AN AGREEMENT: BUT HMG COULD NOT

COMMIT PARLIAMENT.

(B) THE CHINESE HAD AGREED TO DISCUSS FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS ON THAT

BASIS, AND WE HAD SUBMITTED A NUMBER OF WORKING PAPERS ON

ELEMENTS OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM IN HONG KONG IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH

WHAT THE CHINESE MEANT WHEN THEY SAID THAT THE SYSTEMS IN

HONG KONG WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED. ALTHOUGH THE CHINESE

MAINTAINED THEIR POSITION OF PRINCIPLE THAT THEY WOULD

NEGOTIATE WITH US ONLY ABOUT BRITISH INTERESTS, AND OTHER

MATTERS WERE FOR THEM TO DECIDE, IN PRACTICE THEY WERE PREPARED

TO DISCUSS THEIR PROPOSED FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS. IN SOME AREAS

OUR VIEWS AND THEIRS COINCIDED. IN OTHER IMPORTANT AREAS, FOR EXAMPLE THE PUBLIC SERVICE, FURTHER DISCUSSION WAS STILL NEEDED.

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