HKK
10017.
20 OCT1983
1. ken
TOP COPY
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24099 1
DD 130005Z HONG KONG
GRS 345
SECRET
DESKBY 130005Z
FM FCO 122000Z OCT 83
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1040 OF 12 OCTOBER
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PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR
PROPOSED FINANCIAL MEASURES
1. MINISTERS HAVE CONSIDERED YOUR PROPOSALS AGAINST THE
BACKGROUND OF THE POLITICAL SITUATION, INCLUDING THE TALKS WITH
THE CHINESE. THEY RECOGNISE THAT CONSTITUTIONALLY THE DECISION
IS FOR YOU BUT IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES THEY BELIEVE IT WOULD BE
HELPFUL TO YOU TO BE ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT YOU HAD KEPT IN CLOSE
TOUCH WITH THEM. THEY ALSO NEED TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE FACT THAT
THE MATTER COULD COME UP IN PARLIAMENT AND THAT THEY MAY BE ASKED
THERE OR ELSEWHERE WHAT THEIR VIEW OF THE MEASURES WAS.
2. IF AT THE MEETING WITH EXCO TODAY YOU FACE OUTRIGHT
OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSALS, YOU WOULD CLEARLY WISH TO CONSIDER
THE MATTER VERY CAREFULLY, INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF DELAY, BEFORE GOING AHEAD THIS WEEK. GIVEN THE NEED TO MAINITAN
GOOD RELATIONS WITH EXCO AND TO HELP THE COUNCIL'S STANDING IN THE TERRITORY, MINISTERS WOULD EXPECT THAT YOU WOULD GO ADHEAD
ONLY IF YOU JUDGED THAT THE RISK OF DELAY OR INACTION WERE
UNACCEPTABLE. IF YOU DID IN ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES SO JUDGE,
THEY WOULD NOT WISH TO DISSUADE YOU, AND WOULD MAKE CLEAR AS NECESSARY, IF ASKED PUBLICLY, THAT WHILE THE FINAL DECISION WAS
FOR YOU TO MAKE ON THE SPOT, THEY HAD BEEN AWARE OF WHAT WAS
PROPOSED BY THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES AND HAD CONFIDENCE IN YOUR
JUDGEMENT OF THE SITUATION.
3. IF EXCO DO NOT OPPOSE OUTRIGHT AND A MAJORITY RECORD THAT
THEY WOULD NOT ADVISE AGAINST IMPLEMENTATION, MINISTERS WOULD BE
PREPARED TO LEAVE THE QUESTION OF IMPLEMENTATION AND ITS TIMING
TO YOUR JUDGEMENT AND AGAIN WOULD GIVE YOU BACKING, WITH THE
SAME PUBLIC LINE AS IN PARA 2 ABOVE.
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