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MDHIAN 0553
5.
AS AGREED (TELECON EHRMAN/RICKETTS), WE ARE PUTTING OUT THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT ON OUR COMMITMENT TO THE JOINT DECLARATION AND OUR HOPES FOR THE JLG MEETING:
'THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS REPEATEDLY MADE CLEAR THAT IS IT
COMMITTED TO THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. IT HAS ALSO REPEATEDLY MADE CLEAR THAT IT IS PREPARED TO HOLD DISCUSSIONS WITHOUT
PRE-CONDITIONS WITH THE CHINESE SIDE ON MATTERS RELATED TO A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN 1997, AS STIPULATED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. LIKE THE CHINESE SIDE, IT HOPES THAT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP MEETING FROM 8-10 DECEMBER WILL BE FRUITFUL'.
6.
ON THE COMPLAINT ABOUT TSANG'S PLANNED VISIT TO TAIWAN, WE ARE STATING:
7.
'THE BRITISH SIDE'S POSITION ON THE QUESTION OF TAIWAN
REMAINS THAT SET OUT IN THE 1972 SINO-BRITISH JOINT COMMUNIQUE. HONG KONG AND TAIWAN ARE BOTH MEMBERS OF THE ASIA PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION FORUM AND HAVE HAD CONTACTS ON ECONOMIC AND TRADE MATTERS IN THAT CONTEXT'.
IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS PLANNED VISIT, TSANG WILL SAY:
'NO DATES FOR A VISIT HAVE BEEN SETTLED'.
PATTEN
YYYY
MAIN
.HK POLICY
HKD
PUSD
63
DISTRIBUTION
72
PLANNERS
RAD
PS
FED
LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT
.AND MS BROOKS
NEWS D
PS/MR GOODLAD
SIR J COLES MR APPLEYARD
MR HUM
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