TNAG-2346-FCO40-3415-Political-relations-between-Hong-Kong--Japan-and-China-1991 — Page 140

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3- JUL 1991

Q DIST?

TO IMMEDIATE TOKYO

FICER

PA

TELNO 439

OF 01170OZ JULY 91

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

©.

024735

MDHOAN 6442

Mr

Morris. po.

2/7

YOUR TELNO 537: VISIT OF CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER TO TOKYO

1.

MANY THANKS FOR THIS USEFUL READOUT. NAKAYAMA'S

INTERVENTION WITH QIAN QICHEN OVER HONG KONG IS MOST WELCOME. THE JAPANESE EMBASSY GAVE HKD A SIMILAR READOUT WHICH WE ARE FAXING TO YOU FOR PURPOSES OF COMPARISON.

2. ONE POINT: THE LAST

SENTENCE OF PARA 4 STATES THAT CHINA WISHED TO MAINTAIN ''THE CURRENT SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT OF HONG KONG

UNTIL 1997 AND THERE SHOULD BE CONSULTATION

THEREAFTER

■

THE JAPANESE EMBASSY'S

ACCOUNT OF THIS PART OF QIAN'S RESPONSE TO NAKAYAMA HAS HIM

SAYING THE FOLLOWING:

''THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES MUST RETAIN THE ABILITY TO GOVERN. IF ACTIONS OR DECISIONS BY THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES HAD IMPLICATIONS AFTER 1997, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WANTED TO BE CONSULTED. THIS WAS ACCEPTABLE TO BOTH SIDES.''

3. THE EMBASSY'S ACCOUNT IS WHAT WE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED QIAN TO SAY, WHEREAS KITERA'S VERSION TALKS OF CONSULTATION'' AFTER 1997, WHICH MIGHT IMPLY RATHER MORE INTERFERENCE IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE HONG KONG SAR GOVERNMENT THAN IS LAID DOWN IN THE BASIC LAW. WE ASSUME KITERA'S VERSION WAS OVER COMPRESSED.

HURD

YYYY

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SIR J COLES MR BURNS

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