TNAG-2329-FCO40-3373-Hong-Kong-contacts-with-academics-and-writers-1991 — Page 209

HKC2821

REC

CONFIDENTIAL

12 FEB 1991

BAR

PM.8/2.

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 431

OF 07114OZ FEBRUARY 91

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG

(12)

021472

MDHIAN 2758

YOUR TELNO 255 : OBSERVER ARTICLE ON HONG KONG NEGOTIATIONS

1. THE OBSERVER ARTICLE WAS COVERED BY THE HONG KONG STANDARD AND WEN WEI PO ON 4 FEBRUARY. COPIES FOLLOW BY FAX TO PAUL, HKD, AND PEKING. YOU WILL SEE THAT WEN WEI PO USES THE STORY TO CLAIM THAT SOME BRITISH STILL WANT TO GO ON RULING HONG KONG AND TO SAY THAT THIS IN THE CAUSE OF MANY DISPUTES BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN.

2. IN A SHORT (LESS THAN 10 MINUTES) INTERVIEW ON HIS FORTHCOMING BOOK ON RADIO 3, STEVE VINES REPEATED THE MAIN LINES OF HIS STORY.

3. THERE HAS BEEN NO FOLLOW-UP MEDIA INTEREST. WE DOUBT WHETHER THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAVE PAID ANY ATTENTION TO THE STORY. IT MAY, HOWEVER, RESURFACE WHEN I SPEAK AT THE FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS CLUB LATER THIS MONTH SINCE VINES INCLUDES ME AS ONE OF THE MINOR VILLAINS.

4. I AM CONTENT WITH YOUR PROPOSED CONTINGENCY LINE, EXCEPT THAT IT WOULD BE WORTH ALSO MAKING THE POINT THAT BY THE LATE 1970'S THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN HONG KONG WAS BECOMING SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT ALL LAND LEASES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES EXPIRED IN JUNE 1997. THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF 'PRESSURE ON THE HKG/HMG TO DO SOMETHING TO CLARIFY THE POSITION.

WILSON

YYYY

1

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