TNAG-1332-FCO40-1762-Future-of-Hong-Kong-White-Paper-on-the-Joint-Declaration-1984 — Page 168

GR 800

SECRET

SECRET

FM HONG KONG 10065OZ SEP 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TOP COPY

MKKOUDSO

RECEIVED IN I

TELEGRAM NUMBER 2728 OF 10 SEPTEMBER

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

1 1SEP 1984

RY

Taken

YOUR TELNOS 1772 AND 1773: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: WHITE PAPER.

mzıla

1. THANK YOU FOR THE REVISED DRAFT. TRANSLATION IS IN HAND.

2. THE TEXT HAS BEEN CIRCULATED TO EXCO ON THE AGREED BASIS AND WILL BE DISCUSSED ON WEDNESDAY 12 SEPTEMBER. WE HAVE SOME ADDIT- IONAL COMMENTS AND AMENDMENTS ON WHICH IT WILL BE USEFUL TO HAVE A REACTION IN TIME FOR THAT MEETING IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. THESE

ARE AS FOLLOWS:

(A) IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO REFER TO HMG THROUGHOUT: THE PRESENT

DRAFT AT VARIOUS TIMES REFERS TO ''THE GOVERNMENT'' NO DOUBT FOR THE PURPOSES OF ELEGANT VARIATION. THIS MAY GIVE RISE TO CONFUSION IN HONG KONG.

(B) PARAGRAPH 5, 1ST SENTENCE: DELETE SIGNIFICANT''. SECOND

SENTENCE: DELETE ''ANXIETY ABOUT** AND INSERT ''REALISATION OF THE PROBLEM POSED BY''. LAST SENTENCE: AMEND TO READ ''THE STEADILY SHORTENING SPAN OF THESE LEASES AND THE INABILITY OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO GRANT NEW ONES EXTENDING BEYOND 1997, WOULD BE LIKELY TO DETER INVESTMENT AND DAMAGE CONFIDENCE."

·

+

(C) PARAGRAPH 6, 1ST SENTENCE: FOR ''CAREFUL'' SUBSTITUTE

''DETAILED''. FOR ''HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'' SUBSTITUTE THE THEN GOVERNOR'' (THERE WAS NO (NO) CONSULTATION WITH EXCO OVER THE 1979 INITIATIVE AND THIS SENTENCE AS DRAFTED IS THERE- FORE MISLEADING). MORE GENERALLY, IT WOULD BE ADVISABLE IN THIS PARAGRAPH TO GO INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON THE 1979

INITIATIVE. THERE IS A WIDESPREAD SUSPICION IN HONG KONG THAT DENG TOLD THE THEN GOVERNOR MUCH MORE ABOUT CHINA'S POLICY TOWARDS HONG KONG THAN A SIMPLE EXHORTATION TO INVESTORS TO SET THEIR HEARTS AT EASE, EVEN TO THE EXTENT TO MAKING IT CLEAR THAT BRITISH ADMINISTRATION WOULD HAVE TO END IN 1997. (THERE IS EVEN A TENDENCY TO SEE THE NATIONALITY ACT AS A DIRECT CONSEQUENCE OF THAT VISIT). THE LAST CLAUSE OF THE PENULTIMATE SENTENCE OF THIS PARAGRAPH MIGHT BE AMENDED TO

READ:

"... FOREIGN TRADE, AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE, ON THE INITIATIVE OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, TO SOLVE THE SPECIFIC QUESTION OF LAND LEASES EXPIRING IN 1997. THESE DISCUSSIONS ..''

UNOFF

(D) PARAGRAPH 16, 3RD SENTENCE: FOR **THE OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL

MEMBERS' SUBSTITUTE ALL MEMBERS!!

SECRET

1(E)

to