4. WE DO NOT PROPOSE TO ADD FUEL TO THE FIRE BY COMMENTING ON THE SUBSTANCE OF MR XU'S REMARKS. WE SHALL REST ON THE LINE IN PARA 46 OF MY ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON 30 OCTOBER WHERE I SAID THAT BOTH THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS ARE FIRMLY COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING PROSPERITY AND STABILITY AND IN ENSURING A SMOOTH TRANSITION SEMICOLON THAT I WAS SURE THAT THE TWO GOVERNMENTS WOULD AT ALL TIMES BE ALIVE TO THE CONCERNS AND THE VIEWS OF THE OTHER AS WELL AS TO THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SEMICOLON AND THAT I WAS CONFIDENT THAT ON THESE FOUNDATIONS A FRAMEWORK OF ENDURING INSTITUTIONS COULD BE CONSTRUCTED WHICH WOULD MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE AND ENABLE A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN 1997.
5. IF ASKED ABOUT XU'S REFERENCE TO DEPARTURES FROM THE JOINT DECLARATION WE SHALL SAY THAT WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS IN MR XU'S MIND: BOTH THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS ARE FULLY
COMMITTED TO THE JOINT DECLARATION.
6. ONE INFLUENTIAL NEWSPAPER HAS ALSO QUOTED RELIABLE SOURCES AS SAYING THAT CHINA HAD ASKED THAT POLITICAL REFORM IN HONG KONG BE DISCUSSED AT THE FORTHCOMING JOINT LIAISON GROUP MEETING AND THAT THE BRITISH SIDE HAD FORMALLY REJECTED THE REQUEST. IF ASKED ABOUT THE FORTHCOMING JLG, WE WILL DECLINE TO PREDICT WHAT WILL OCCUR. ON OTHER SUBJECTS TO BE DEALT WITH AT THE JLG, WE CAN REFER TO THE PRESS COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AFTER THE FIRST MEETING.
7. THIS STORM ONCE RAISED IS UNLIKELY TO DIE QUICKLY AND WE CAN EXPECT FURTHER INTENSE INTEREST OVER THE WEEKEND, DURING THE COURSE OF THE JLG NEXT WEEK AND IN THE COMMUNIQUE AFTER IT.
YOUDE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED HD/HKD HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RES D (MR WALKER)
PS
PS/MR FENTON
PS/PUS
SIR 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 ASST STAFF
CABINET OFFICE
MR MALLABY
CABINET OFFICE
MR DR C CHRISTOPHER
CABINET OFFICE
SIR P CRADDOCK NO 10 DOWNING ST. MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
CONFIDENTIAL
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