CONFIDENTIAL
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4.
HE HAD THEN SUGGESTED THAT THERE MIGHT BE FAIRLY EARLY
DISCUSSION OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF HONG KONG TO AN ENLARGED COMMUNITY, AND THAT THESE SHOULD ALSO COVER TREATMENT UNDER THE GPS. HMG HAD THUS IN EFFECT SOUGHT FULL AND EARLY COMMUNITY CONSIDERATION OF THE ARGUMENTS PUT FORWARD ABOUT HONG KONG, AND HAD DECLARED THEMSELVES READY FOR FURTHER DISCUSSIONS AS SOON AS THE COMMUNITY WISHED. THERE HAD BEEN NO REACTION TO SIR CON'S
REMARKS ON THE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
5.
IN RESPONSE TO A SPECIFIC QUESTION SIR CON O'NEILL ADVISED ME THAT THE INITIATIVE NOW LAY WITH THE COMMUNITY. CHRISTOFAS SUBSEQU-
ENTLY ENLARGED ON THIS IN PRIVATE SAYING THT. HMG HAD IN FACT
UNDERTAKEN TO CIRCULATE A FORMAL DOCUMENT TO THE CONFERENCE TO
BE SIMILAR TO THE EARLIER GPS AIDE MEMOIRE. DENMAN FELT
THAT THE FRENCH WERE DENYING HONG KONG UNDER THE GPS BECAUSE ANY
CONCESSIONS OFFERED IN THE ALTERNATIVE CONTEXT OF THE ENLARGEMENT
NEGOTIATIONS COULD BE IN EXCHANGE FOR A QUID PRO QUO FROM HMG.
HE STATED THAT THE OFFER OF FAIRLY EARLY DISCUSSIONS ON HONG KONG
HAD BEEN MADE BY HMG FOR BROAD TACTICAL REASONS.
£.
ROUTINE REPORT ON OTHER ITEMS FOLLOWS BY MEMORANDUM.
FCO PLEASE PASS PRIORITY TO GOVERNOR HONG KONG AND
UK MISSION GENEVA (FOR JONES) AND SAVING TO HONG KONG
GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
SIR J. BE ITH
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED TO GOV. HONG KONG AND
U.K. MISSION GENEVA]
FILES
E.I.D.
H.K.D.
FFPER
CONFIDENTIAL
COPY TO:
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
OFFICE, LONDON
f