SECRET
29542
1
PROGRESS IN THE NEGOTIATIONS, BECAUSE THERE IS SOME PARALLEL IN
THEIR OWN INVOLVEMENT IN THE FUTURE OF TAIWAN, ABOUT WHICH THE
CHINESE WILL WANT TO TALK TO THEM. APART FROM THIS MOTIVE FOR KEEPING THE AMERICANS INFORMED, MY OWN VIEW IS THAT THE TIME TO
ASL FOR ACTUAL ASSISTANCE FROM OUR ALLIES MAY COME A LITTLE LATER
IN THE NEGOTIATION. I CAN WELL SEE THAT, AS A POSSIBLE
ARRANGEMENT FOR HONG KONG BEGINS TO ASSUME SHAPE, WE MAY WISH TO
TELL OUR FRIENDS ABOUT IT AND TO ASK THEM TO GIVE IT AS FAIR A
WIND AS POSSIBLE WHEN IT IS PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED. WE MIGHT ALSO
WANT OUR ALLIES TO INDICATE DISCREETLY TO THE CHINESE THAT THEY
WOULD BE READY TO COOPERATE WITH HONG KONG UNDER THE NEW
ARRANGEMENTS TO THE FULLEST EXTENT POSSIBLE SO LONG AS GENUINE
AUTONOMY WAS MAINTAINED.
5.
FINALLY, WE HAVE TAKEN ON BOARD WHAT ROBIN MCLAREN HAS
SUGGESTED ABOUT THE JAPANESE AND ARE CONSIDERING THIS CAREFULLY.
MY OWN INITIAL VIEW IS THAT WHILE WE OUGHT NOW TO GO A LITTLE
FURTHER WITH THE JAPANESE THEN WE HAVE DONE SO FAR, WE SHOULD
STILL BE RELATIVELY CAUTIOUS OVER THIS BECAUSE JAPANESE INTERESTS
WILL BE PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA
OVERALL, RATHER THAN WITH THEIR INVESTMENT IN HONG KONG, OR WITH
THE QUESTION OF CONTINUED BRITISH LINKS WITH HONG KONG.
SIGNED A E DONALD
2
SECRET