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4. AT A LATER POINT QIAN ASKED WHETHER WE HAD GIVEN THOUGHT TO THE MODALITIES OF SUCH TALKS. I SAID I WAS WITHOUT PRECISE INSTRUCTIONS, BUT SPEAKING PERSONALLY ENVISAGED TALKS AT SENIOR OFFICIAL LEVEL IN THE FIRST INSTANCE. IN RESPONSE TO A FURTHER QUESTION I CLARIFIED THAT WE MEANT OFFICIAL IN THE BRITISH SENSE, 1.E. AS DISTINCT FROM MINISTERIAL), BUT THAT THIS WOULD PROBABLY EQUATE TO VICE FOREIGN MINISTER ON THE CHINESE SIDE. I ADDED THAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE VERY MUCH IN THE INTEREST OF BOTH SIDES THAT THE TALKS SHOULD BE HELD DISCREETLY WITH THE MINIMUM OF PUBLICITY. QIAN AGREED.
5. I WENT ON TO SAY THAT WE VERY MUCH HOPED THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD AVOID ANY PUBLIC STATEMENT THAT MIGHT PREJUDICE THE ATTAINMENT OF OUR COMMON OBJECTIVES ON HONG KONG. QIAN SAID THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID ENTIRELY NEWSPAPER COMMENT AND SPECULATION, BUT THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD BE CAUTIOUS AND I HAD NO NEED FOR CONCERN.
6. I SAID THE REASON WHY THE PRIME MINISTER HAD ASKED FOR A SECOND
CALL ON DENG XIAOPING WAS THAT SHE WISHED TO HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO DISCUSS THE VERY IMPORTANT MATTER OF HONG KONG WITH HIM. WE WERE VERY FLEXIBLE ABOUT THE FORM OF THE SECOND TALK, WHICH COULD BE, FOR EXAMPLE, AT A MEAL, BUT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN INTERVAL SO THAT BOTH SIDES WOULD HAVE TIME T RELECT ON WHAT HAD BEEN SAID AT THE FIRST MEETING. QIAN FULLY TOOK THE POINT BUT OF COURSE REMAINED NONCOMMITTAL.
7. I ALSO TOLD QIAN THAT THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG WOULD BE JOINING THE PRIME MINISTER'S DELEGATION.
CRADOCK
LIMITED
FED
HK v GD PCD
MR GIFFARD
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