2
3.
THE FIRST AMENDMENT IN PARA 2D WAS THOUGHT TO BE
NECESSARY SO AS TO PUT BEYOND DOUBT HMG'S COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING REINFORCEMENTS IF THESE SHOULD PROVE TO BE NECESSARY.
4.
}
WITH REGARD TO THE SECOND AMENDMENT IN PARA 2D MEMBERS
WOULD PREFER THE MOU TO BE AMENDED TO REFLECT THE INTERPRETATION
CONTAINED IN PARA 1 OF YOUR TELNO 947 OF 7 DEC. HOWEVER, I THINK THEY WOULD BE PREPARED TO ACCEPT WRITTEN CONFIRMATION BY HMG
OF YOUR INTERPRETATION.
5.
6.
THE THIRD AMENDMENT IN PARA 2D IS PURELY VERBAL.
MEMBERS DID NOT MAKE THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE AGREEMENT
CONDITIONAL UPON THE MOU BEING AMENDED IN THE WAYS SUGGESTED
7.
ABOVE, BUT EXPRESSED THE OPINION THESE CHANGES ARE HIGHLY DESIRABLE.
JOINT PRESS RELEASE: MEMBERS PROPOSED THE FOLLOWING
AMENDMENTS TO THE DRAFT JOINT PRESS STATEMENT CONTAINED IN YOUR
TEL 949 OF 8 DEC. (I) IN THE FIRST SENTENCE OF PARA 1 SUBSTITUTE "WILL" FOR "CAN": (II) IN PARA 1 DELETE "WITH AN ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION OF ABOUT POUNDS STERLING EIGHT AND SUBSTITUTE "WITH A CONTRIBUTION
POUNDS
IN THIS FINANCIAL YEAR OF ABOUT POUNDS STERLING ELEVEN MILLION". (III) IN THE FIRST SENTENCE OF PARA 3 DELETE "IN CONSIDERATION OF THE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN HONG KONG'S FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION" AND SUBSTITUTE "UNDER THE NEW AGREEMENT": (IV) DELETE THE
PENULTIMATE SENTENCE OF PARA 3.
8.
MEMBERS FELT THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO TENDER
USEFUL ADVICE TO THE GOVERNOR AS TO THE EXACT TIMING OF THE
CONCLUSION OF THE AGREEMENT OR OF ITS ANNOUNCEMENT,
IN VIEW OF
THEIR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE INTENTIONS OF HMG WITH REGARD TO
IMPORT RESTRICTIONS. HOWEVER, THEY ADVISED STRONGLY THAT THE AGREEMENT SHOULD NOT BE FORMALLY CONCLUDED UNTIL SHORTLY BEFORE A
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE OF AGREEMENT HAVING BEEN REACHED.
OTHERWISE BOTH GOVERNMENTS MIGHT HAVE TO DENY IN PUBLIC FOR SOME