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GRAC
SECRET
DESKBY 1509302
FM HONG KONG 150345Z MAR 79
SECRET
Akck ougl!
RUSK
55. SIRY RO. 1 & MAR 1979
REGIS
Action
TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO.374 OF 15 MARCH,
по
J19.2.
Y
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING.
40 45 50
FOLLOWING FOR P.U.S FROM GOVERNOR.
YOUR TELNO.13 SAVING 1 NEW TERRITORIES LEASES,
1. I WAS ALARMED BY THE TONE OF PARA.3. THIS MAY BE A MATTER OF DRAFTING, BUT SINCE TIME WILL BE VERY SHORT FOR DISCUSSION WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE IN HONG KONG, AND EVEN FOR CONSIDERATION OF MY OWN AND CRADOCK'S JOINT REPORT FROM PEKING, I THINK I SHOULD SEND YOU THIS TELEGRAM TO PROVIDE YOU WITH BACKGROUND AGAINST WHICH OUR REPORT SHOULD BE READ. I AM COPYING IT TO PEKING IN
CASE CRADOCK DISAGREES.
2. OUR OBJECT IS TO GET THE CHINESE TO ACCEPT THAT WHAT WE PROPOSE IS IN THEIR IMMEDIATE INTEREST BUT IN ANY CASE SOMETHING WITHIN OUR OWN JURISDICTION AND STRICTLY OUR AFFAIR TO WHICH THEY NEED NOT OBJECT SINCE IT LEAVES THEIR OWN POSITION ON THE FUTURE OF
13 AT PRESENT HONG KONG UNAFFECTED, THE CLIMATE IN PEKING FAVOURABLE, PERHAPS UNIQUELY FAVOURABLE, TO THEM BEING WILLING TO
ABOUT IT - DO THIS SOONER OR LATER. BUT THEY MAY NEED TIME TO THINK
CUR OWN LAWYERS TOOK MONTHS AND THE CHINESE IN ADDITION HAVE THE POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS TO CONSIDER, THEY HAVE A GREAT MANY OTHER THINGS ON THEIR PLATE, AND ONE MUST ACCEPT THAT ON THE FACE OF IT
THE ISSUE IS NOT AT PRESENT URGENT.
3. MOREOVER THOUGH THEY WILL REALISE THE CONSIDERABLE SIGNIFICANCE -
AND VALUE TO THEM OF WHAT WE PROPOSE TO DO, THEIR THEORETICAL DEFENCE OF THEIR ACQUIESCENCE IS LIKELY TO BE THAT IT IS A BRITISH AFFAIR WHICH DOES NOT CONCERN THEM, WE WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO MAINTAIN THIS LEGAL FICTION IF WE PLAY THE SUBJECT IN A QUIET AND UNHURRIED, IF FIRM WAY.
SECRET
/4. IF ON