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CODE 18,77
Mr Williamson
Mr McQuade
Mr Clift
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Reference..........
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HAK 040/1
W
191
Ambly
FUTURE OF HONG KONG : REPLY TO LEGAL ADVISER'S COMMENTS
1. Please refer to Mr Burrows' undated minute and his subsequent minute of 30 March. A draft reply is attached.
163
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Inevitably perhaps, Mr Burrows would like to see us reach a clear and unambiguous agreement with the Chinese over Hong Kong's future. As I understand it, in his view - which appears to differ from that of Mr Rushford
any agreement,
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understanding or statement that so much as hints at our acknowledging Chinese sovereignty over Hong Kong, now or at some time in the future, will require an Act of Parliament for it to carry any weight whatsoever. As a result of this line of thought, Mr Burrows is not very happy with the draft sliding scale (of which both Peking and Hong Kong have of course already had copies).
3.
I am in no position to argue with Mr Burrows so far as the legal implications are concerned but it does seem to me a little unfortunate that having covered a good deal of ground in some detail with Mr Rushford (and presumably with Sir Ian Sinclair) we now appear to have slipped back a bit.
4.
The most important thing, it seems to me, is to hold an early meeting of all concerned (as proposed in my draft), particularly now that we have to consider briefing new Ministers before the matter can be discussed at No 10.
cola
W Morris
7 April 1982
bruc
SECRET