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8 AUG 1980
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FM FCO 291040Z JUL 80
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 616 OF 29 JULY
FOR POLITICAL ADVISER FROM CLIFT
CHINA KESOURCES INVOLVEMENT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES
1.
MY LETTERS OF 15 JUNE AND 16 JULY FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF
LEGAL ADVISER'S MINUTE, REFERRING TO WEBB'S OF 12 JUNE.
QUOTE:
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE ANSWERS ARE:
A) NO, UNLESS IT WAS DESIRED TO PROVIDE FOR INDEFINITE LEASES OTHERWISE THAN BY LOCAL ORDINANCE:
YES, FOR INDEFINITE:
B) NO, FOR LONGER TERMS
C) I DON'T SEE WHY NOT THE CROWN WOULD CONTINUE TO BE
ENTITLED TO THE BENEFITS OF THE LEASE UNTIL SOME OTHER
AUTHORITY WAS SUBSTITUTED SO THE LEASE WOULD SAY NOTHING
ABOUT THE POSITION AFTER 1997:
D) NO, BUT THE GOVT. MIGHT WANT TO:
E) NO, BUT THEY MIGHT PRESS THE GOVT. BY OTHER MEANS. UNQUOTE
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