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FM FCO 071800Z (APR 83

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

TELEGRAM NUMBER 208 OF 7 APRIL

INFO HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR)

PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR FROM DONALD

118HON

HONG KONG TELNO 165: BRIEFING THE AUSTRALIANS

1. I AM BOUND TO SAY THAT I AGREE WITH THE GOVERNOR. THE

PURPOSE OF THE EXERCISE IS TO STOP THE AUSTRALIANS TAKING ANY

ACTION WHICH MIGHT BE UNHELPFUL TO HMG AND TO RECOGNISE THE

IMPORTANT STAKE WHICH THEY HAVE IN HONG KONG, BOTH IN INVESTMENT

AND IN INTELLIGENCE TERMS. WE MUST KEEP THE AUSTRALIANS SWEET.

2. IT SEEMS THEREFORE APPROPRIATE THAT THE GOVERNOR SHOULD KEEP

IN TOUCH WITH HORNE IN ORDER THAT NOTHING UNHELPFUL IS SAID VIA

AUSTRALIAN CHANNELS TO THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT BEFORE ZHAO'S

VISIT.

3. I AGREE ALSO THAT IT WOULD BE ADEQUATE IF YOU WERE TO TELL

DUNN ON HIS RETURN THAT YOU ASSUME HE WAS BRIEFED IN CANBERRA.

YOU WILL KNOW WHAT TO ADD IN THE WAY OF EMBROIDERY BUT IT SEEMS

PRUDENT TO MOVE CAUTIOUSLY UNTIL WE SEE WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN THE NEW AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AND HMG IS TO BE. BUT

PLEASE LET JOHN MASON COMPLETE HIS BRIEFING FIRST BEFORE EITHER

OF YOU ACT.

PYM

LIMITED

HD/HKGD

MR DONALD

MR WRIGHT

HD/FED

HD/PUSD

MR GIFFARD

PS/PUS

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