TNAG-1941-FCO40-2767-Future-of-Hong-Kong-defence-and-public-order-1989 — Page 201

Redacted under FOI exemption 27(1)

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

10

CONFIDENTIAL

TELNO 3501

OF 191035Z OCTOBER 89

HKC062/1

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

(238

073063 MDHIAN 0608

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

(235

FCO PERSONAL FOR MCLAREN, AUSS, FROM DEPUTY TO GOVERNOR YOUR TELNO 2121 AND PEKING TELNO 1864 RELOCATION OF HMS TAMAR

1636)

IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN INEVITABLE THAT THE CHINESE WOULD BE DISPLEASED BY THE DECISION TO GO AHEAD WITH THE WANCHAI RE- *CLAMATION. GIVEN THE LONG-STANDING PRESS INTEREST IN BOTH THE RECLAMATION PROJECT AND THE DEFENCE LANDS QUESTION THERE WAS ALSO NEVER ANY PROSPECT OF OUR BEING ABLE TO AVOID THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE DECISION FOR THE NAVAL BASE AT TAMAR ATTRACTING WIDE COVERAGE. UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES I CONSIDER THAT REACTION ON BOTH COUNTS HAS BEEN VERY MUCH AS EXPECTED AND NOT AS BAD AS MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE CASE.

234

2. KE'S STATEMENT TO THE NCNA CHK TELNO 3491) WAS IN MY VIEW AS MILD AS WE COULD REASONABLY HAVE HOPED. IT DID NOT MAKE ANY DEMANDS OR THREATS. IT MAY WELL NOT BE THE LAST PUBLIC WORD FROM THE CHINESE, BUT FOR THE MOMENT IT RAISES NO NEW PROBLEMS FOR US.

3. SOME OF THE PRESS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO SENSATIONALISE THE STORY AND HAVE DRAWN THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS IS PART OF A NEW RESOLUTE STAND BY HMG. FOR THE MOST PART, HOWEVER, OUR RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS, STRESSING THAT OPTIONS ARE OPEN AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO WANT TO TALK, HAVE BEEN WELL REPORTED.

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