TNAG-1312-FCO40-1687-Future-of-Hong-Kong-views-and-involvement-of-Australia--Cana-1984 — Page 55

SECRET

RECORD OF MEETING BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG AND THE PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA AT 12.15 PM ON MONDAY 30 JANUARY 1984 AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE

PRESENT

Revised

Sir Edward Youde

Sir Philip Haddon-Cave

Sir John Bremridge

Mr RJT McLaren

Mr JF Yaxley

Mr G A Higginson

The Hon RJ L Hawke

Prime Minister of Australia

Sir Geoffrey Yeend, Secretary,

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Mr C Conybeare, First Assistant

Secretary, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Mr Whitelaw

First Assistant Secretary, Treasury Mr J Bowan, Adviser (International

Relations), Office of the Prime Minister

Mr D W Argall, Assistant Secretary,

Department of Foreign Affairs

Mr Geoff Walsh, Press Secretary

to the Prime Minister

Mr D J Horne, Commissioner for

Australia in Hong Kong

In reply to the Governor's welcome, Mr Hawke said he would

be interested to hear the Governor's views on how the discussions

were going on the future of Hong Kong.

2. The Governor said he understood that Mr Hawke had already

received an account of the eighth round of talks. He proposed to concentrate on the Hong Kong dimension. The talks were being

conducted on a bilateral basis between China and UK: this was

constitutionally correct. But the Hong Kong dimension was an essential part of the equation. HMG were now examining the Chinese proposals on a without prejudice and conditional basis. The process was working quite well; there had already been discussions

on papers concerning, among other things, the monetary system and

legal matters.

SECRET

/3.