(C)
MOST SERIOUSLY, IF CORRECTLY REPORTED, DENG SEEMS
TO BE UNDER A SERIOUS MISAPPREHENSION AND HAS TAKEN THE SUGGESTION IN MY CONVERSATION WITH YAO GUANG ON 28 OCTOBER (MY TEL NO 1110) AS A PROPOSAL FOR JOINT ADMINISTRATION, AN IDEA CANVASSED IN CERTAIN HONG KONG CIRCLES EARLIER IN THE SUMMER AND CONDEMNED BY ZHOU NAN IN HIS INTERVIEW WITH CLARK IN AUGUST (PARA 7 OF EMBASSY RECORD OF 22 AUGUST). IN MY CONVERSATION WITH
YAO I MADE IT VERY PLAIN THAT ANY SECONDMENT OF BRITISH PERSONNEL TO ADMINISTRATIVE POSTS WOULD BE AT THE REQUEST OF THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AND UNDER THE
DIRECTION OF THE HEAD OF THE S.A.R. WE WERE
DETERMINED TO PROCEED ON THE BASIS OF CHINESE PROPOSALS. IF, ON THE OTHER HAND, DENG IS NOT CONFUSED AND HIS REAT COUNAS ARE CONSIDERED, THE IMPLICATIONS COULD BE SERIOUS.
8.1 PROPOSE TO TAKE THE FIRST AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR CLAR- IFICATION WITH YAO GUANG. I HOPE TO BE TAKING DEREK DAY TO PAY A COURTESY CALL ON HIM ON TUESDAY 8 NOVEMBER. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, I SHALL THEN REFER TO DENG'S REMARKS TO THORN AND SAY THAT ALTHOUGH I DO NOT HAVE A FULL RECORD, THERE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS MISUNDERSTANDING. THE IDEAS I WAS PUTTING TO THE CHINESE VICE MINISTER ON AN INFORMAL VASIS WERE, OF COURSE, ON THE FIRM UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WERE PROCEEDING ON THE BASIS OF THE CHINESE PROPOSALS AND THAT ANY ADMINISTRATIVE POSTS RETAINED BY BRITISH PERSONNEL WOULD BE AT THE REQUEST OF THE SAR AND SUBJECT TO THE DIRECTION OF THE HEAD OF THE SAR GOVERNMENT. THIS IS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM ANY PROPOSAL FOR JOINT ADMINISTRATION. I SHALL ALSO ADD THAT I THINK IT VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT RESPONSE TO POINTS MADE IN INFORMAL BILATERAL CONVERSATION IN NEGOTIATIONS WHICH ARE AGREED TO BE SECRET SHOULD BE MADE TO A THIRD PARTY, AND THAT I HOPE THAT IF THE CHINESE WISH TO MAKE ANY RESPONSE TO OUR IDEAS ON THE SUBJECT OF HONG KONG THEY WILL MAKE IT TO ME OR, IF THEY PREFER, IN A MESSAGE TO BRITISH MINISTERS.
9. FOR HONG KONG. SINCE I UNDERSTAND THE GOVERNOR WILL BE SEEING THORN LATER TODAY, IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF HE COULD OBTAIN FURTHER CLARIFICATION OF WHAT DENG ACTUALLY SAID AND IMPRESS UPON THORN AND HIS PARTY THE NEED FOR GREAT DISCRETION IN HANDLING THIS MATERIAL.
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