TNAG-1324-FCO40-1736-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1984 — Page 153

GR 500

SECRET

SECRET

HKKC040/1831

REGINAL

Q22

DESKBY 16100OZ

FM HONG KONG 16084OZ MAR 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO 718 OF 16 MARCH

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

19

x

ONCER

Et beb

YOUR TELNOS 227 AND 228 FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PARLIAMENTARY STATEMENTS.

1. THE GOVERNOR WILL NO DOUBT COMMENT FROM PEKING. BUT YOU AND HE MAY FIND SOME PRELIMINARY COMMENTS FROM HERE OF USE.

2. ALTHOUGH UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE, IN A MAJOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEBATE AT THIS TIME, TO GIVE PARLIAMENT A LITTLE MORE THAN THE STOCK FORMULATIONS WE MUST ALSO TAKE ACCOUNT OF SENSITIVIEIES IN HONG KONG WHERE THE PUBLIC HAS SO FAR BEEN GIVEN NO (NO) INKLING OF THE DIRECTION IN WHICH DISCUSSIONS ON THEIR FUTURE IS GOING. THE SPEECH WILL, THEREFORE, BE EXAMINED UNDER THE MICROSCOPE IN HONG KONG AND NO DOUBT ELSEWHERE FOR THE SLIGHTEST HINT OF CONFIRMATION THAT BRITAIN HAS AGREED (WITH OR WITHOUT CONDITIONS:;) TO CONCEDE SOVEREIGNTY AND THE RIGHT OF ADMINISTRATION TO CHINA. THE DRAFT IN YOUR SECOND TEL UNDER REF WOULD, IN MY JUDGEMENT, CAUSE SUCH A CONCLUSION TO BE DRAWN. EVEN WHEN CONDITIONALITY IS FULLY EXPLAINED, THERE WILL BE A TENDENCY TO DISMISS IT (NO DOUBT LIBERALLY ENCOURAGED BY THE COMMUNIST PRESS). SINCE IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO EXPLAIN CONDITIONALITY PROPERLY ON THIS OCCASION: IT WOULD BE BETTER TO LIFT THE VEIL JUST A LITTLE LESS.

3. 1 THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT THE LATTER PART OF THE THIRD PARAGRAPH

BE AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:

11 OPINION IN HONG KONG. THROUGH THE CONTACTS WHICH MY COLLEAGUES AND I HAVE HAD WITH HONG KONG PEOPLE WITH INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTING A WIDE RANGE OF OPINION WE HAVE BECOME AWARE THAT THEIR OVERRIDING CONCERN IS TO SEE CONTINUITY IN THE SYSTEMS AND THE FREEDOMS WHICH CHARACTERISE HONG KONG LIFE TODAY. THEY WISH TO BE CERTAIN THAT IN FUTURE THE ESSENTIAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE IR WAY OF LIFE WILL BE MAINTAINED: THAT HONG KONG'S ECONOMY WILL REMAIN OPEN TO WORLD MARKETS: THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND MEET AND TRAVEL AS THEY WISH.HMG FULLY UNDERSTAND THIS CONCERN. IT IS POSSIBLE TO ENVISAGE A NUMBER OF WAYS IN WHICH CONTINUITY MIGHT BE ASSURED. THE IDEAS ABOUT HONG KONG'S FUTURE, PUBLICLY EXPRESSED BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, ALSO LAY HEAVE STRESS ON CONTINUITY. OUR PRESENT TASK IS TO EXAMINE ALL FEASIBLE OPTIONS THOROUGHLY AND SERIOUSLY TOGETHER WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. WE SEEK AN ARRANGEMENT ACCEPTABLE TO BOTH SIDES IN THE NEGOTIATIONS, AS WELL AS TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. WE BEAR IN MIND THE UNIQUE

see

231

SECRET

/HISTORICAL