GRS 170
SECRET
SEORET
FM PEKING 169408Z JUL 79
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 639 OF 16 JULY
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG.
(151
Hek ovol!
RECEIVED PA W.
по
16 JUL 1979
no 217.7 8
Sea. 170
RY
Ta' en
(142).
142
HONG KONG TELNO.978: NEW TERRITORIES LEASES.
1. WE HAVE NOW BROACHED THE SUBJECT AS A WHOLE WITH THE CHINESE,"
AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO PREDICT THEIR REACTION TO THE SAVING
CLAUSE OTHER THAN AS PART OF THE PACKAGE. WE MAY WELL HAVE TO
TAKE ACCOUNT OF ANY REACTIONS IN LAST MINUTE ADJUSTAMEMTS TO THE
ORDER. BUT THE FORMULA IN HONG KONG TELNO.978, AS AMENDED IN FCO. TELNO.539 TO HONG KONG, SEEMS REASONABLE. VYHE CHINESE
ARE MORE LIKELY TO FOCUS ON THE CLAUSE PROVIDING FOR CONTINUA-
TION BEYOND 1997 OF BRITISH ADMINISTRATION: AND IF THEY SWALLOW
THAT CAMEL, THEY SHOULD NOT STRAIN AT THE GNAT OF THE SAVING
CLAUSE.
2. THE DRAFT ORDER HAS BECOME SOMETHING OF A PALÏMPEST. TO
ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO CONFUSIONIT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF HONG KONG COULD TELEOFAPH A DEFINITIVE VERSION.
3. WE ASSUME FROM SUBSEQUENT ACTION THAT DE WINTON'S DOUBTS
DESCRIBED IN PARA 1 OF FCO TELNO.454 HAVE
BEEN SET AT REST.
GEORGE
FILES
HK rq D
FED
MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY
MR RUSHFORD
SEORET
requiring of her if
1