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3. YOU WILL ALSO WISH TO GIVE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO THE
QUESTION OF PUBLIC PRESENTATION OF THIS VISIT, GIVEN THAT IT NOW LOOKS LIKELY TO COME JUST BEFORE OR JUST AFTER THE FORMAL TALKS. THIS CLOSE JUXTAPOSITION WILL LEND CREDENCE TO RUMOURS OF
A BREAKTHROUGH IN THE NEGOTIATIONS, AND PERHAPS TO FEARS THAT WE HAVE CONCEDED SOVEREIGNTY. YOU WILL BE WELL AWARE OF THE SORT
OF SPECULATION IN WHICH THE HONG KONG PRESS WILL INDULGE.
CHINESE LEAKS MAY COMPLICATE THE PICTURE.
THE FACT THAT ALL NINE UNOFICIALS ARE GOING TO LONDON WILL
ENCOURAGE CONJECTURE THAT SOMETHING OF GREAT SIGNIFICANCE HAS
OCCURRED IN THE TALKS. PUBLICITY WILL THEREFORE REQUIRE THE
MOST CAREFUL HANDLING.
CRADOCK
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
LIMINUED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF HD/PUSD
PS PS/LADY YOUNG
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR J BULLARD
COPIES TO
SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS
MR ROBERTS NEWS D
MR MARTIN
MR FLOWER
ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE
PUSD
MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING STREET
SIR A PARSONS 11
H
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD MR WRIGHT
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