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DO NOT WE PROPOSE TO CONSIDER OTHER FORMS OF ASSURANCE TO PEOPLE
IN PUBLIC SERVICE. SUCH AN ASSURANCE WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE
TO BE PUBLIC, OR, IF CONFIDENTIAL, ACCEPTED AS LIKELY TO LEAK AND NOT SUSCEPTIBLE OF DENIAL. IT WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO APPLY TO
OTHER DEPENDENT TERRITORIES BESIDES HONG KONG.
6. WE ARE CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING FORMULA:
'IN THE EVENT OF A CHANGE OF STATUS OF A DEPENDENT TERRITORY, HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT WOULD EXAMINE MOST CAREFULLY AND
SYMPATHETICALLY THE POSITION SQUARE BRACKETS BEGIN INCLUDING
ENTRY TO THE UNITED KINGDOM SQUARE BRACKETS END OF THOSE
WHOSE PUBLIC SERVICE IN THAT TERRITORY ENTITLED THEM TO
SPECIAL CONSIDERATION'.
THE PHRASE IN SQUARE BRACKETS WOULD ADD CONSIDERABLY TO THE FORCE
OF THE ASSURANCE BUT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO AGREE. AGAIN THERE IS
THE REFERENCE TO A CHANGE OF STATUS.
7. IF YOU, OR PERCY CRADOCK, BELIEVE THAT A REFERENCE TO ''A CHANGE OF STATUS EITHER IN THE BILL OR AN ASSURANCE WOULD BE
POLITICALLY TOO DIFFICULT, CAN YOU SUGGEST ANY OTHER FORM OF WORDS? ONE POSSIBILITY IS IN THE EVENT OF UNFORESEEN DEVELOPMENTS IN A DEPENDENT TERRITORY SO REQUIRING IT, HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
WOULD EXAMINE ......'. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY MORE OPEN TO MISINTER-
PRETATION BUT MIGHT JUST DO.
8. I WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR AND CRADOCK'S VIEWS IF POSSIBLE
BY 090OZ ON 9 FEBRUARY.
CARRINGTON
LIMITED
HKGD
NTO
FED
SIR E YOUDE
MR
ADAMS
MR DONALD
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