TNAG-1302-FCO40-1658-Visits-by-Richard-Luce--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1984 — Page 32

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FM FCO 271325Z JULY 84

TO PRIORITY TOKYO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 422 OF 27 JULY

REPEATED INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, PEKING

YOUR TELNO 585: MR LUCE'S INTERVIEW WITH MAINICHI

1.

WITH REFERENCE TO PARAGRAPH 1(F) OF YOUR TUR, MR LUCE DID

NOT (NOT) SAY THAT BRITAIN WAS OPPOSED TO CHINESE PROPOSALS FOR A

JOINT ANGLO-CHINESE COMMISSION FOR HONG KONG.

2.

THE CORRECT TEXT OF THE RELEVANT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS IS

AS FOLLOWS:

TO DISCUSS

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(A) KOMORI: HOW ARE YOU GOING TO RESPOND TO THE CHINESE

PROPOSALS FOR THE CREATION OF A JOINT SINO-BRITISH MISSION?

MR LUCE: WELL I THINK THE FIRST THING TO REALISE IS THE

IMPORTANCE OF THESE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE

THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AFTER 1997. THAT IS THE WHOLE BASIS OF

THESE DISCUSSIONS. THAT IS WHY WE ARE HAVING DISCUSSIONS FOR

THE OBVIOUS REASONS WE ALL KNOW ABOUT: 1997. AND THE IMPORTANT

THING THEREFORE FIRST OF ALL FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG IS THAT

THEY SHOULD HAVE AS DETAILED AND AS BINDING AN AGREEMENT AS THEY

CAN GET, AS THEY CAN SEE, TO ENSURE THE CONTINUITY OF THEIR WAY

OF LIFE, AFTER 1997. THEREFORE WE COME TO YOUR QUESTION: WHAT

HAPPENS BEFORE 1997? THERE IS NO SHADOW OF DOUBT THAT THE

BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MAINTAIN AUTHORITY

BRITISH AUTHORITY FOR THE GOVERNING OF HONG KONG UNTIL 1997.

THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REAFFIRM IN THAT CONTEXT.

SO IT IS UP TO THE CHINESE IF THEY WISH TO DISCUSS WHAT HAPPENS

BEFORE THEN BUT THERE IS NO DOUBTING OUR POSITION AND THAT IS

THAT WE MAINTAIN OUR AUTHORITY UNTIL 1997. THAT IS THE MOST

IMPORTANT POINT.

(B) KOMORI: YOU ARE FIRMLY OPPOSED TO THIS IDEA?

MR LUCE: WELL IT IS UP TO THE CHINESE TO PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS

IF THEY WANT TO HAVE CONSULTATION WITH US. THAT IS THEIR CHOICE

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