CONFIDENTIAL
GRS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
DD 17O9OOZ
FROM PEKING 17040OZ DEC 84
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 3006 OF 17/12/84
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
$411
TOPCOPY/57
RECEIVET
17 DEC 1984
375
376
HONG KONG TELNOS 3793 AND 3794: PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT
TO HONG KONG: PRESS CONFERENCE : QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. I HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT REPLIES IN
SECOND TUR:
(A) A3: I RECOGNISE THAT THE FORMULATION IN THE FIFTH
SENTENCE HAS BEEN USED IN PARLIAMENT.
NONETHELESS THE CHINESE WILL STUDY WITH THE GREATEST CARE
WHATEVER PRIME MINISTER SAYS IN HONG KONG. I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE (MY TELNO 2250) THAT THE REFERENCE
TO THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE'' WILL JAR HERE AND COULD EVEN RESULT IN SOME FORM OF UNHELPFUL PUBLIC
COMMENT BY THE CHINESE. THEREFORE HOPE THAT THIS SENTENCE
CAN BE REDRAFTED ALONG-THE FOLLOWING LINES:
''THIS COURSE WOULD HAVE MEANT THE MINIMUM OF CHANGE
AND IT SEEMED RIGHT AS A FIRST STEP TO SEE IF IT WAS
POSSIBLE''.
(B) A5: WE MUST NOT SUGGEST IN PUBLIC THAT WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED
IN DRAWING UP OR NEGOTIATING POST 1997 POLICY FOR HONG KONG.
I THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT THIS ANSWER TO REDRAFTED TO:
''YES. IT IS CLEAR THAT BESIDES THE BASIC POLICIES FOR
HONG KONG'S FUTURE SPELLED OUT IN THE JOINT DECLARATION,
THE AGREEMENT SETS OUT A MASS OF DETAIS PROVIDING FOR...
CONFIDENTIAL
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