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15.
SECRET
If Ministers are prepared to authorise the
Governor to endeavour to reach a settlement on the
basis of his proposals it is for consideration whether
the Governor should at the same time inform his
unofficial advisers that those proposals represent the
very minimum terms on which Her Majesty's Government
is prepared to negotiate a settlement and that failing
their acceptance by Hong Kong, Her Majesty's
Government will reluctantly see no alternative to their
imposition on the Colony. However, on balance it is
considered better to defer such a decision until we
have received the Governor's report on the reactions
to his proposals of his unofficial advisers on the
Executive Council.
-9- SECRET