SECRET
Beisakovas COMANDAS khu di dar did Ital
move very quickly. We might not be able to cover all the detail in time. There could be difficulties with EXCO who would not want to be rushed. There would still be some problems of conditionality until ratification had taken place. Nevertheless, those difficulties and those of acceptability would be considerably fewer than with the other solutions. On balance, with some reservations from Sir Ian Sinclair, the meeting formed a preliminary view that a formal binding agreement this year should probably be our target with a Heads of Agreement as a fallback.
ACTION
8.
Sir P Cradock would arrange for a telegram to be sent to the Governor and HMA Peking. After receipt of their views the Department would submit to Ministers.
Hong Kong Department
1 February 1984
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