SECRET
La Gaig (144)
(file)
Chiristopher
said this con
до
or Juice.
Miss Neville Jones
Planning Staff
FROM: CO HUM
DATE: 29 February 1984
cc: Sir P Cradock Mr Donald
Mr Thomson, FED Mr Short, PUSD
MK Kodoli
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
ATLAR 1984
VERICER
REGISTRY
PA
fction Taken
JIC (84) (N) 42: HONG KONG:
1.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
We are broadly content with this paper which has been substantially redrafted in the light of FCO comments.
2. We have however agreed the following further textual amendments with the Cabinet Office over the telephone:
(a) Paragraph 5. Replace existing third sentence by
"In formal negotiations, however, the Chinese have taken the line that British and other foreign nationals may serve only at deputy secretary rank and below, and at deputy secretary rank only in certain unspecified departments.
(b)
(c)
(a)
11
Paragraph 6. Replace existing second sentence by "They insist that they will station Chinese forces in Hong Kong if they wish as a matter of sovereign right, although they said that they would be "prudent and circumspect" about exercising this right"; omit last sentence.
Paragraph 9. Replace existing last sentence by "This will need to be handled carefully to avoid the potential erosion of British authority before 1997."
Paragraph 10. Omit third from last sentence "Given the volatility
protest."
3. I hope you will be able to ensure that these corrections are incorporated in the final version of the paper. It would be very unhelpful for the paper to go forward containing strong and largely unsubstantiated assertions about "a constant risk of violent popular protest" in Hong Kong. There is no basis for such an unqualified statement: evidently the nature of any eventual agreement with the Chinese will have a crucial influence on the state of popular feeling in Hong Kong in the years to come.
29 February 1984
сбонит
CO Hum
Hong Kong Department
SECRET
RET
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