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DON
INTS ETC., WE SHOULD NOT FILTER LOCALLY SUCH OF THE ENQUIRIES AND EXPRESSIONS OF OPINION AS WE CAN. AT THIS STAGE, IT IS NOT EASY TO ASSESS THE LIKELY VOLUME OF ENQUIRY OR OPINION, BUT WE SEE ADVANTAGE IN OUR HANDLING DIRECTLY AS MANY ENQUIRIES AS WE CAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR USUAL PRACTICE. WE WILL, OF COURSE, KEEP YOU ADVISED OF THE GENERAL REACTION AND OF SPECIFIC POINTS AND, IF NECESSARY, WILL SEND COPIES OF THE CORRESPONDENCE. WE ALSO PROPOSE TO CONSIDER AT A LATER DATE WHETHER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE INVITATION IN PARA 5(A) OF GUIDANCE TELEGRAM NO 66 THAT THIS GOVERNMENT SHOULD PUT FORWARD ITS VIEWS ON THE PROPOSALS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATIOON.
7. AS PART OF OUR PRESS RELEASE REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH 3(2), WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO STATE THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS ASSURED US, AND AUTHORIZED US TO SAY PUBLICLY, THAT THESE PROPOSALS, IF ADOPTED, CO NOT INDICATE ANY ALTERATION TO H.M.G.'S COMMITMENT TO THE SECURITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG
KONG WHICH REMAINS UNCHANGED.
8, I SHALL WELCOME EARLY CONFIRMATION THAT THE PROCEDURE OUTLINED ABOVE IS ACCEPTABLE.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
NTD
HK & GD FED
PLANNING STAFF MR HAWLEY
COPIES TO:
MR LEE B4 DIVN HOME OFFICE
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