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EVEN IF IT WERE POSSIBLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE SOME DEFINITE UNDERTAKING OF FUTURE CITIZENSHIP, THIS WOULD NOT HELP. CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG CANNOT FROM A PRACTICAL POINT OF VIEW BE BASED ON PROMISES OR HALF PROMISES THAT ANY MAJOR GROUP OF ITS INHABITANTS WILL AUTOMATICALLY BECOME BRITISH IF THERE IS A CHINESE TAKEOVER. (INDEED THIS COULD BE DIVISIVE) IT MUST DEPEND ON OUR SO MANAGING OUR RELATIONS WITH CHINA THAT IN PRACTICE THE EVENTUAL TRANSITION IS AS SMOOTH AND PAINLESS AS POSSIBLE. THE FACT THAT WE CANNOT NOW FORESEE THE PRECISE FORM WHICH AN ARRANGEMENT WITH CHINA OVER HONG KONG (INCLUDING CITIZENSHIP PROVISIONS) MIGHT TAKE COMPLICATES THE PROBLEM AND WOULD MAKE ANY ATTEMPT AT A STATEMENT NOW MISLEADING.
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I CAN ALSO SEE SERIOUS RISKS IN TERMS OF OUR RELATIONS WITH CHINA RIGHT AWAY. WE HAVE SEEN HINTS THAT SOME CHINESE LEADERS ARE INCLINED TO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE MAKING PREPARATIONS TO MOVE OUT OF HONG KONG. THEIR FEARS WOULD APPEAR TO BE CORROBORATED IF THERE WERE ANY OPEN DISCUSSION, IN PARLIAMENT OR ELSEWHERE, OF THE POSSIBLE FUTURE POSITION OF BDTCS IN HONG KONG AFTER A CHANGE IN THE TERRITORY'S STATUS. THIS COULD I IMAGINE PROVOKE AN UNHELPFUL REACTION FROM PEKING AND MAKE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE WHICH WE SHALL CERTAINLY HAVE TO CONDUCT IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.
5. I HOPE THIS WILL HELP TO EXPLAIN WHY WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO APPEAR MORE HELPFUL IN TERMS OF YOUR IMMEDIATE PROBLEM WITH UNOFFICIALS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WRESTLE WITH FORMULAE WHICH MIGHT BE OF USE TO YOU IN WARDING OFF THE PRESSURE AND ANY CONTRIBUTIONS WHICH YOU OR PERCY CRADOCK CAN PROVIDE WOULD BE VERY WELCOME.
CARRINGTON
LIMITED
HD/HK&GD
HD/FED HD NTD MR ADAMS MIR DONALD
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