TNAG-1356-FCO40-1797-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 136

HRR O!!!!

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

25 NOV 1985

INDLA

IATRY

QB-25

་

CONFIDENTIAL

OCMIAN 7988

CONFIDENTIAL

DD 230100Z PEKIN

FM FCOLN TO PEKIN

221430Z NOV

GRS 348

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 230100Z PEKING

TELNO 1012

OF 22143OZ NOVEMBER 85

INFO DESKBY 23010OZ HONG KONG

(289)

PA 011/

7988 - 1

YOUR TELNO 1705, HONG KONG TELNO 2611-2612 AND TELECON

EHRMAN/WILSON: REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT

1.

XU JIATUN'S REMARK TO THE PRESS THAT IN CERTAIN RESPECTS

THERE WAS ALREADY A TENDENCY TO DEVIATE FROM THE PRINCIPLES OF

THE JOINT DECLARATION IS MOST UNHELPFUL.

2.

LIKE HONG KONG WE CERTAINLY WISH TO PLAY DOWN THE REMARK

PUBLICLY AS MUCH AS WE CAN (NEWS DEPARTMENT ARE FOLLOWING THE

LINE IN PARAS 4-5 OF HONG KONG TELNO 2612). MINISTERS HAVE

CONSIDERED AN EXPRESSION OF DISPLEASURE TO THE CHINESE. ALTHOUGH

THEY DO NOT WANT A MAJOR ROW IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE JLG MEETING

WHEN THERE ARE IMPORTANT DECISIONS WHICH WE NEED TO SECURE FROM

IT, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME EITHER SIDE HAS PUBLICLY ACCUSED THE

OTHER OF NOT STICKING TO THE AGREEMENT AND THEY DO NOT THINK THAT

WE CAN LET IT PASS WITHOUT ANY COMMENT.

3.

WHEN BLUNT CALLS ON THE MFA ON 23 NOVEMBER TO RECEIVE THE

CHINESE RESPONSE TO OUR PROPOSAL ON HOW REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT

SHOULD BE DISCUSSED AT THE JLG, HE SHOULD THEREFORE EXPRESS

SURPRISE THAT XU SHOULD HAVE MADE THIS REMARK. HE SHOULD SAY

THAT IT IN NO WAY ACCORDS WITH OUR VIEW: LIKE THE CHINESE

GOVERNMENT, WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE

JOINT DECLARATION. THE REMARK HARDLY SEEMS TO ACCORD WITH

1

CONFIDENTIAL

PREMLER.