GR 500

SECRET

DEDIP

FM PEKING 170847Z FEB 81

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 99 OF 17/2

SECRET

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG (FOR GOVERNOR)

DED IP

FOR YOUDE

TOP COPY

АКК онов

cuoli

Idd (HKG)

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY MO. 51

18 FEB 1981.

DEAK OFFICER

INDEX

اله

PA

£ (7)

REGISTRY Action Taken

35

(20A-C)

HONG KONG TELEGRAMS NOS 114 116: FUTURE OF HONG KONG

1. I DO NOT WANT TO PROLONG THIS EXCHANGE, BUT I SHOULD NOTE

BRIEFLY SOME OF THE POINTS IN THESE TELEGRAMS ON WHICH I HAVE

RESERVATIONS.

see 37

36

2. FIRST, WE SHOULD BE CLEAR ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE

STRATEGY PROPOSED IN PARAS 5 8 OF HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 115.

IF THE SECRETARY OF STATE SO READILY CONCEDES, EVEN WITH THE SUGGESTED CAVEAT, THAT THERE IS STILL TIME" WE RUN THE RISK OF CREATING A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY WHICH CONTINUED

DEGREE 1 TACTICS MAY DO LITTLE TO ERODE. WE THEREBY LESSEN

THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THE CHINESE LEADERS WILL OF THEMSELVES DECIDE TO ACT (PARA 4(B) OF HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 115) AND

INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY WILL ONLY BE PRECIPITATED INTO ACTION BY THE IMMINENCE OF COLLAPSE IN HONG KONG (PARA 4(A) OF TUR). IF I UNDERSTAND THE TUR CORRECTLY, IT ENVISAGES (PARA 10) THAT IF NO SUGGESTION OF TALKS IS MADE TO DENG IN

APRIL WE ON OUR SIDE SHOULD WAIT UNTIL CONFIDENCE BEGINS TO

SLIDE BEFORE MAKING ANY MOVE. WE COULD THEN FIND OURSELVES

SEEKING TALKS AND TRYING TO NEGOTIATE IN GREAT HASTE UNDER

POLITICAL AND FINANCIAL PRESSURES WHICH WOULD BE MORE ACUTE

FOR OURSELVES THAN FOR THE CHINESE. EVEN IF WE HAD UP OUR

SLEEVES PROPOSALS PREPARED ON A CONTINGENCY BASIS, THESE WOULD

HAVE BEEN CONCEIVED IN VACUO. WHETHER ON LEASES OR ON THE

FUTURE OF THE ADMINISTRATION OUR ASSESSMENTS OF CHINESE

DESIDERATA AND LIKELY CHINESE REACTIONS WOULD BE LITTLE MORE

THAN GUESS-WORK. WE COULD ALSO HAVE THE TASK OF EXPLAINING

TO PUBLIC CRITICS WHY WE HAD NOT SOUGHT TALKS BEFORE THE

CRISIS HIT US.

SECRET

NOTED AW

2012

Все 2 сосеви $19.2

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