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9. THIRDLY SINCE NO CRISIS IN CONFIDENCE IS IMMINENT WE SHOULD NOT APPEAR IMPORTUNATE. ONE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT NOT ONLY HAVE WE RAISED THE ISSUE WITH THEM FIVE OR SIX TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR, BUT THAT SEVERAL HONG KONG DEVELOPERS HAVE DONE SO ALSO.

10. INSOFAR AS THE CHINESE HAVE FOCUSSED ON THE SHORT-TERM PROBLEM THERE ARE SOME GROUNDS FOR SUPPOSING SOME OF THEM HERE THINK IT COULD BE OVERCOME BY A COMBINATION OF GENERAL ASSAR ANCES AND COMMERCIAL CONFIDENCE-BUILDING ACTIONS SUCH AS REQUESTS FROM

OR CHINESE AGENCIES FOR LONG LEASES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AS MAJOR JOINT VENTURES WHICH IMPLY NO CHANGE IN STATUS DURING THIS THE IN PERIOD OF AMORTIZATION, WE NEED TO SEE WHAT IF ANYTHING THESE AMOUNT

TO (WE ONLY HAVE ON OR TWO TENTATIVE EXAMPLES AT THE MOMENT), WHETHER A CLEAR TREND DEVELOPS, AND IF SO HOW IT CAN BE USED. THIS IS YET ANOTHER ARGUMENT AGAINST GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE MFA

AT THIS STAGE.

11. BUT NATURALLY IF THE MFA RAISE THE ISSUE THEMSELVES YOU WILL WISH TO EXPLAIN THE POINTS MADE BY HADDON-CAVE.

12.

ACCEPT THAT IF THE CHINESE ASK A POLITICAL PRICE FOR EITHER A LONG-TERM OR SHORT-TERM SOLUTION, WE SHOULD BE PREPARED TO PAY PROVIDED BUT ONLY PROVIDED THEIR OFFER MAKES IT WORTHWHILE.

MACLEHOSE

THIS TELEGRAM

WAS NOT ADVANCED

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35747

FILES

HD/HK & GD

HD/FED

PS

PS/LPS

PS/PUS

SIR D MAITLAND

CHIEF CLERK MR DONALD

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