HOF0043/31
TT FCO
TT PEKING
0930
494
(1998)
TT WASHINGTON
,
GR 700
SECRET
TELELETTER
MKKOAO S
IVED IN REGISTRY
309 1083
#!
SATHY
an Tekun
Enter
inker
FROM R J T MCLAREN, POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG
FILE REF: SGD 4/03 DATED 31 OCTOBER 1983
FOLLOWING FOR: A E DONALD ESQ CMG AUSS FCO
COPED TO: SR P CRADOCK KCMG PEKING
D MD THOMAS ESQ CMB WASHINGTON
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: BRIEFING FOR THE AMERICANS
Sex (499
491 1. WE STRONGLY SUPPORT WHAT PERCY CRADOCK SAYS ABOUT BRIEFING THE
AMERICANS IN HHS TELELETTER OF 20 OCTOBER.
493)
2. THE LIPNE WHICH WE ARE CURRENTLY AUTHORISED TO USE GOES BACK TO AUGUST (FCO TELNO 1375 TO WASHINGTON OF 19 AUGUST) THOUGH IT HAS BEEN SUPPLEMENTED SINCE. THE TROUBLE WITH THIS LINE AS THAT T REVEALS VERY LITTLE THAT THE AMERICANS (AND OTHERS) COULD NOT HAVE WORKED OUT FOR THEMSELVES BY STUDYING THE VARIOUS CHINESE PUBLIC
STATEMENTS (LET ALONE THE ACCOUNTS OF THE CHINESE POSITION WHICH FOREIGN MINISTER WU XUQFAN AND OTHER SENIOR CHINESE WILL NO
DOUBT HAVE GIVEN THEM). * WAS THEREFORE GLAD TO SEE (DEREK THOMAS'S TELELETTER OF 28 OCTOBER) THAT MR LUCE WAS ABLE TO GIVE WOLFOWITZ A MORE DETAILED BRIEFING DURING HIS RECENT VISIT TO WASHINGTON. IT WILL BE USEFUL TO US HERE TO SEE THE RECORD OF
THAT CONVERSATION.
539
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