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(D) NO DOUBT HE WILL AVOID A SITUATION OF COUNTER-BRIEFING. THE
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE TO DEFEND THE AGREEMENT THAT IS EVENTUALLY REACHED, AND WILL HAVE TO DO SO ON THE GROUNDS THAT
THE AGREEMENT IS RIGHT FOR HONG KONG. IT WOULD NOT BE SOUND PUBLIC RELATIONS HERE, OR ACCEPTABLE FOR THE GOVERNMENTS CREDIBILITY TO PLEAD THAT IT WAS MERELY THE BEST THAT COULD BE
RUNG OUT OF A HARD-HEARTED H M G. THE LATTER TYPE OF ARGUMENT IS SOMETIMES ACCEPTABLE IN A COMMERCIAL SITUATION BUT WOULD
NOT IN A SECURITY MATTER. THIS GOVERNMENT THEREFORE HAS AN INTEREST IN KEEPING THE TEMPERATURE DOWN DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS
AND AVOIDING EITHER A SUGGESTION OF CONFRONTATION OR THAT H M G
IS BEING UNREASONABLE. THEREFORE I HOPE THAT OUR PRESS ARRANGEMENTS WILL AT LEAST BE CO-ORDINATED TO A COMMON END, AND THAT WE ESCHEW BRIEFING ON H M G VERSUS HONG KONG LINES. IN THIS CONNECTION I READ WITH SOME ALARM AN A P REPORT FROM
LONDON IN SOMEWHAT EMOTIVE TERMS.
MACLEHOSE
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HKLOD (3)
DEFENCE D
SWPD
GIPD
NEWS D
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SIR D WATSON
MR THOMSON
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