TNAG-1306-FCO40-1663-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 80

SEORET

TOP COPY

GR 200

SECRET

DESKBY 12120OZ FCO

FM PEKING 12100OZ JAN 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 58 OF 12 JANUARY

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

MIKKO40l. l

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

།

1984

HONG KONG TELNO 72 AND YOUR TELNO 45: FUTURE OF HONG KONGH

SPEECH BY XU JIATUN

1. THE ACCUNT OF XU'S SPEECH IN FIRST TUR SUGGESTS THAT DIFFERENCES FROM EARLIER NON-PUBLIC STATEMENTS ARE MINIMAL. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO MAKE A DETAILED COMPARISON WITH

PAST PUBLIC STATEMENTS BUT WE SHARE YOUR INITIAL IMPRESSION. 2. POINT (D) OF FIRST TUR MIGHT BE ENCOURAGING, IN THAT THE STATEMENT IS APPARENTLY UNQUALIFIED AND NO DISTINCTION IS DRAWN BETWEEN OFFICIALS AND ADVISERS BUT IT WOULD BE VERY UNWISE TO BUILD ANYTHING ON THIS UNLESS IT IS CONFIRMED HERE. ELSEWHERE THERE ARE SOME MINOR DIFFERENCES, FOR EXAMPLE THE REFERENCE TO THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM RATHER THAN THE BASIC LAW PEMAINING UNCHANGED FOR 50 YEARS (D) AND THE FORMULATION OF THE VARIOUS FREEDOMS (K), BUT WE SUSPECT THAT THESE ARE NUANCES OF THE SPEECH TEXT AND DO NOT REPRESENT ANY SHIFT OF CHINESE POLICY. XUTHAS IN THE PAST BEEN OUT ON A LIMB, AND PRECISION IS NOT IN ANY CASE A CHINESE VIRTUE.

m

GALSWORTHY

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

HD/PUSD

D/HD/PUSD (MR FLOWER)

RES.D. (MR WALKER)

LEGAL ADVISER (SIR IAN SINCLAIR

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR DONALD

MR WRIGHT

SIR C TICKELL

COPIES TO:

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

PS/LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL PS/HOME SECRETARY

PS/CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL

PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS

NEWS DA

MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVS

MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST

SIR A PARSONS NO 10 DOWNING ST.

MR MARTIN ASSESSMENT STAFF CABINET OFFICE

MR GOODALL CABINET OFFICE

MR BRENNAN CABINET OFFICE PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE D PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL

SIR P CRADOCK RM WH MZ 21

SECRET

35