TNAG-1882-FCO40-2673-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-Chinese-complaints-con-1989 — Page 39

CONFIDENTIAL

020464 MDHIAN 5383

EVENTUALLY EMERGE. THE HK STANDARD REPORTS ME INACCURATELY AS HAVING QUOTE REJECTED UNQUOTE SIR S Y CHUNG'S PROPOSAL THAT THE JLG SHOULD CONTINUE BEYOND THE YEAR 2000. WHAT I IN FACT SAID WAS THAT ANY CONTINUATION WOULD REQUIRE THE AGREEMENT OF BOTH SIDES AND THAT IF WHAT AS ENVISAGED WAS SIMPLY A BODY TO MONITOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION BY CHINA, IT WOULD NEED RATHER DIFFERENT TERMS OF REFERENCE FROM THE PESENT JOINT LIAISON GROUP. I ALSO SAID THAT IT WOULD BE LEGITIMATE FOR EITHER CHINA OR BRITAIN TO TAKE UP WITH THE OTHER ANY POINTS OF DIFFERENCE ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION EVEN IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY SUCH BODY.

5. I DECLINED TO BE DRAWN ON WHAT THE CHINESE MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT BE DOING THIS WEEKEND IN CANTON WITH THE BASIC LAW. BUT IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION I CONFIRMED THAT ANY DISCREPENCIES BETWEEN THE BASIC LAW AND THE JOINT DECLARATION WOULD BE A MATTER OF GREAT CONCERN TO BRITAIN AND ONE ON WHICH WE WOULD HAVE A LEGITIMATE LOCUS STANDI.

6. I AM QUOTED VARIOUSLY AS SAYING THAT THE WORK OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP HAD NOT YET RETURNED TO NORMAL. THIS WAS IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LACK OF ANY EXPERT MEETINGS, WHERE I AGREED THAT THESE HAD NOT YET RESUMED AND THAT THEIR RESUMPTION WAS NECESSARY BEFORE WE COULD RECKON TO HAVE COMPLETELY RETURNED TO NORMAL.

GALSWORTHY

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DISTRIBUTION

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ΜΑΙΝ

58

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

. (RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

HKD

HD/FED

RESEARCH (FE)

NEWS D

PS/MR MAUDE PS/LORD BRABAZON

MR GILLMORE

MR MCLAREN MR MOSS

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MR EDWARDS LEGAL ADV

MR WHOMERSLEY LEGAL ADV MR FIFOOT HKD

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