SECRET.
5. MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE USE THE OPENING PROVIDED
BY THE AFP REPORT TO CLARIFY THE SITUATION WITH THE FOREIGN
MINISTRY AT WORKING LEVEL. 1 SUGGEST HEAD OF CHANCERY SPEAK TO CUI MINGTANG (ACTING HEAD OF WEST EUROPEAN DEPT).
CUI WAS PRESENT AT THE DENG INTERVIEW AND PROBABLY ALONE
AMONG THE CHINESE UNDERSTOOD THE POINT ON LEASES.
6.
"
SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS AND THOSE OF HONG KONG, GEORGE MIGHT REFER TO THE AFP REPORT, EXPLAIN THAT WE THINK WE DO
NOT HAVE PLENTY OF TIME SINCE THE GOVERNOR HAS IN MIND ONE
PARTICULAR LEGAL ADJUSTMENT WHICH WILL BE NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE. THIS HE EXPLAINED TO DENG, WHO HAD BEEN UNDER- STANDING. FURTHER EXPLANATION OF WHAT PRECISELY WE ARE
PLANNING TO DO MIGHT THEN BE GIVEN AND A FURTHER REMINDER
ADDED ABOUT THE NEED FOR GREAT CAUTION IN PUBLIC STATEMENTS.
7. SINCE THE ABOVE WAS DRAFTED, WESTERN EUROPEAN DEPARTMENT HAVE CONFIRMED THAT NO NOTE WAS TAKEN OF SONG'S REMARKS (THIS IS HARD TO BELIEVE), AND THEY THEREFORE CANNOT GIVE US A VERBATIM ACCOUNT OF THE EXCHANGES. THEY HOPE, HOWEVER, TO BE ABLE TO GIVE US AN EXPLANATION OF MR SONG'S REMARKS' IN DUE COURSE. THIS SUGGESTS THAT THEY NOW REALISE THE SIGNIFICANCE WE ATTACH TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ISSUE, AND CONFIRMS MY VIEW THAT WE SHOULD SPEAK AS IN PARAS. 5 AND
6 ABOVE.
CRADOCK
FILES
ARGD
FED
THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RETAINED
. IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER
SECTION 3 (4) OF THE
PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1958
NEWS A
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PAD
PUSD
PS
PS/SIR I GILMOUR
PS/MR BLAKER
Psipus
SIR A DUFF
MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY
SECRET