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06 MAR 982
TELELETTER TO HONG KONG/PEKING
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PERSONAL
TELELETTER
FROM R D CLIFT, HONG KONG AND GENERAL DEPARTMENT
FILE REFERENCE HKK 026/2 DATED 29 MARCH 1982
FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE GBE KCMG KCVO,
GOVERNOR AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, HONG KONG
RFI SIR PERCY CRADOCK KCMG PEKING
MR HEATH'S VISIT TO FAR EAST: FUTURE OF HONG KONG
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1. YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE WROTE TO MR HEATH
LAST WEEK TO GIVE HIM A GENERAL STEER ON THE KIND OF LINE WE ARE
CURRENTLY TAKING ON THE FUTURE. HE ENCLOSED THE TEXT OF THE PRESS
CONFERENCE THE LPS GAVE IN HONG KONG ON 10 JAN.
2. HE EXPLAINED THAT:
A) WE WERE LOOKING CLOSELY AT THE QUESTION:
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B) WE WERE AWARE THAT CONCERN IN HONG KONG WAS GROWING AND THAT
WE WOULD OF COURSE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE INTERESTS OF THE
PEOPLE THERE:
C) ALTHOUGH BOTH SIDES WERE LOOKING AT THE QUESTION ALL OPTIONS
WERE BEING KEPT OPEN AND NO-ONE WAS EXPECTING SUDDEN
DEVELOPMENTS:
D) OUR MAIN INTEREST AT THIS STAGE WAS TO ENSURE THAT THE
CHINESE UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING CONFIDENCE:
E) IT WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE AT THIS STAGE TO GIVE ANY
IMPRESSION THAT THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT WAS LIKELY TO
PRODUCE A SOLUTION.
3. THE SECRETARY OF STATE EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT MR HEATH WOULD
TREAD CAREFULLY AND FEEL ABLE TO STICK GENERALLY TO THIS LINE,
PARTICULARLY IN CONTACTS WITH THE MEDIA. HE MENTIONED THAT
YOU AND PERCY CRADOCK WOULD BE VERY READY TO HELP.
SIGNED R D CLIFT
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