SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 3318
OF 070955Z SEPTEMBER 87
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
SECRET
нив onl
040153 MDLIAN 3378
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MY TELNO 3278 : TRILOGY IV: PRESS QUESTIONS
1.
WE HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING HOW TO RESPOND IF WE (OR LORD GLENARTHUR WHEN HERE) ARE ASKED TO CONFIRM WHETHER WHAT AH CHI (AH ZHI) HAS WRITTEN IN WEN WEI PO IS ACCURATE. THUS FAR, ODDLY ENOUGH, WE HAVE RECEIVED NO QUERIES.
2.
SINCE OUR KEY OBJECTIVE REMAINS TO INFLUENCE CHINESE THINKING ON THE BASIC LAW, AND SINCE THIS IS INEVITABLY A DELICATE PROCESS, WE THINK IT BEST TO AVOID BEING DRAGGED INTO DISCUSSING OR DEFENDING IN PUBLIC ANYTHING WE MAY HAVE SAID. WE THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD DRAW ON THE LINE AGREED IN RESPONSE TO POSSIBLE LEAKS ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF SECRETARY OF STATE'S FIRST EXCHANGE WITH WU XUEQIAN (YOUR TELNO 963 OF 22 MAY 1986) AND RESPOND AS
FOLLOWS:
THESE
''THERE IS A CONTINUING PROCESS OF EXCHANGES OF VIEWS BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE SIDES, AT VARIOUS LEVELS AND THROUGH VARIOUS FORMAL AND INFORMAL CHANNELS, ON MATTERS OF MUTUAL INTEREST. EXCHANGES COVER A VERY WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS, INCLUDING QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE FUTURE GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE IN HONG KONG AND HOW A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN 1997 COULD BEST BE ENSURED. OF SUCH EXCHANGES ARE CONFIDENTIAL, AND IT IS NOT OUR PRACTICE TO COMMENT ON SPECULATIVE ARTICLES.
THE DETAILS
3.
GRATEFUL FOR COMMENTS.
WILSON
YYYY
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