TNAG-1356-FCO40-1797-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 80

C

HPLNBN 3380

CONFIDENTIAL

PEHPAN 4556

DD 261130Z FCOLN

DD 2611302 HOKON

FM PEKIN TO HOKON

261025Z NOV 85

GRS 2500

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

TO DESKBY 26113OZ FCO

TELNO 1730 PART 2

OF 261025Z NOV 85

INFO DESKBY 261130Z HONG KONG

PART TWO OF TOW

318

PAONY

DD 261240

FIVED IN REGISTRY 27 NOV 1985

A827

*

FROM WILSON

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: SECOND MEETING OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP: FIRST DAY

MY SECOND INTERVENTION

- 12. AFTER A SHORT BREAK I SAID THAT KE'S HAD BEEN AN IMPORTANT

AND SERIOUS STATEMENT. I SHOULD LIKE TO REFLECT CAREFULLY ON IT. I WAS SURE KE WOULD WISH TO REFLECT SIMILARLY ON MY COMMENTS.

13. I SAID THAT SOME OF KE'S REMARKS INDICATED SERIOUS MISUNDER- STANDINGS OF FACT AND BRITISH INTENTIONS. I OFFERED THE FOLLOWING PRELIMINARY COMMENTS:

(A) DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITY. IT WAS QUITE CLEAR THAT AFTER 1997 CHINA WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR HONG KONG WHILST BEFORE 1997 WE WERE RESPONSIBLE. WE WERE DETERMINED TO CARRY OUT THIS RESPONSIBILITY WELL AND FULLY AND TO ENSURE HONG KONG'S CONTINUED STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. THAT WAS OUR AIM. ANY DILUTION OR LIMITATION IN THE SCOPE OF HKG'S RESPONSIBILITY OR THAT OF HMG FOR HONG KONG COULD HAVE A VERY DAMAGING EFFECT, WHETHER BASED ON FACT OR PERCEPTION