TNAG-1356-FCO40-1797-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 104

CCNFIDENTIAL

GRS 300

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 25120OZ FCO

TELNO 2631

OF 25103OZ NOVEMBER 85

INFO DESKBY 26010OZ PEKING

CCP)

HkK C!!!!

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

27 NOV 1985

REGISTRY

PA

Action Taken

DESK OFFICER INDEX

MY TELNO 2620 : REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG

PRESS CONFERENCE BY XU JIATUN

1. XU JIATUN HAS ALSO BEEN TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ABOUT ZHOU NAN'S CONVERSATION WITH SIR PETER BLAKER CLAIMING THAT ZHOU DREW ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT CHANGES IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WERE NOT WHAT WAS MEANT BY THE EXERCISE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UNTIL 1997. XU HAS REPEATED HIS CLAIM THAT WHEN HE HAD SAT NEXT TO BLAKER AND GALSWORTHY AT MR

RENTON'S DINNER HE HAD DRAWN ATTENTION TO THIS IMPORTANT POINT.

2. FROM THE RECORD WHICH SIR PETER BLAKER MADE OF HIS MEETING (THERE WAS NO MEMBER OF THE EMBASSY PRESENT) ZHOU NAN MADE THE POINT THAT

''IF A CHANGE IN THE BASIC STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT IS INVOLVED THIS

WOULD BE A MATTER GOING BEYOND THE DAY TO DAY ADMINISTRATION OF

HONG KONG WHICH IS FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT UNTIL 1997''. (MY TELNO 2323). THE DISCUSSION AT THE DINNER IS RECORDED IN THE RECORD WHICH GALSWORTHY MADE AT THE TIME AND WHICH THE DEPARTMENT HAVE, IN PARTICULARLY PARAS 4 AND 5.

3. XU IS OBVIOUSLY WORRIED ABOUT THE EFFECT WHICH HIS REMARKS HAD HERE AND IS APPARENTLY INTENT ON LETTING IT BE KNOWN THAT HMG WERE AWARE OF CHINESE UNHAPPINESS ABOUT THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE WERE MAKING

CHANGES WITHOUT CONSULTATION WITH THEM.

YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT

}

LIMITED

HD/HKD HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

RES D (MR WALKER)

PS

PS/MR RENTON

PS/PUS

BIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

MR J CROWLEY PUSD

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS NEWS DEPT MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVS MR MARTIN ABST STAFF

CABINET OFFICE

MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE MR DRC CHRISTOPHER

CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADDOCK NO 10 DOWNING ST. MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

CONFIDENTIAL

307