4. THIS ANALYSIS WILL BE A CONSIDERABLE TASK, SO THE SOONER IT CAN BE STARTED THE BETTER. WE BELIEVE THAT IT MUST BE UNDERTAKEN FROM YOUR END BECAUSE THE COMPREHENSIVE MATERIAL INVOLVED AND THE NECESSARY BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE ARE AVAILABLE AT YOUR END AND NOT HERE.
5. HOWEVER, WE HAVE ONE CROWN COUNSEL WHO HAS ALREADY COT SOME KNOWLEDGE OF THE SUBJECT, BUT HE WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR. WE THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT RESEARCH DEPARTMENT (WITH APPROPRIATE LEGAL ADVICE) IS ASKED TO TAKE ON THE TASK USING THE 3RD EDITION OF THE LIST OF MULTI-LATERAL TREATIES OF WHICH YOU HAVE A COPY, BUT THAT WE PROVIDE LEGAL INPUT AS NECESSARY. IF YOU ARE ABLE TO TAKE ON THIS TASK NEXT MONTH, PLEASE ADVISE US SO THAT WE CAN CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF MAKING ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FROM HONG KONG.
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6. WE SUGGEST THAT THE WORK STARTS WITH THE MULTI-LATERAL TREATIES. WHERE THE TEAM IS IN DOUBT HOW TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS IN PARA 3(A) BRIEF DETAILS COULD BE TELEGRAPHED HERE AND WE COULD PROVIDE THE ANSWER. IN ADDITION, WITH REFERENCE TO PARA 3(C) WE WOULD ASCERTAIN THE EXTENT TO WHICH PARTICULAR TREATY OBLIGATIONS ARE MET BY HONG KONG LAW ONCE THOS OBLIGATIONS ARE NOTIFIED TO US. BUT THE IMPORTANT THING WOULD BE TO ISOLATE THOSE TREATIES WHICH ARE DIFFICULT AND COMPLEX FROM THE REST. WE CAN THEN DECIDE HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM AND HOW LONG THIS WILL TAKE.
7. WHEN THE AMBASSADOR WAS HERE RECENTLY WE REVIEWED WITH HIM THE WORKING PAPERS STILL OUTSTANDING AND THE POSSIBLE TIMETABLE FOR PREPARING THEM AND PASSING THEM OVER TO THE CHINESE. HE IS ANXIOUS THAT WE SHOULD PROVIDE PAPERS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT I THINK IT IS ESSENTIAL TO BE CLEAR OURSELVES ON THE ISSUES WHICH MAY ARISE BEFORE WE APPROACH THE CHINESE. SOME OF THEM COULD BE VERY SENSITIVE. IN ANY CASE I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THEY WILL BE ANYWHERE NEAR READY TO GET INTO THIS KIND OF DETAIL WITH US FOR SOME TIME YET. YOUDE
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
1.IMITED
50/SKD
ED/FED
ED/PLANNING STAFF
BUCKINGHAM PALACE
COPIES TO: (VIA DISTR. ROOM)
PS/LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
PS/HOLE SECRETARY
PS/CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER
PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL
PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND
AD/PUSD
1/HD/PUSD(MR FLOWER)
RESEARCH DEPT(MR WALKER)
LEGAL ADVISER(SIR IAN SINCLAIR),
PS
F/LADY YOUNG
PS MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD
MR WRIGHT
INDUSTRY
COPIES TO:
(VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS
NEWS DEPT
MA BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS
MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST
THIS TELEGRAM SIR A PARSONS
WAS NOT
ADVANCED
SECRIT
督管
MR MARTIN ASSESSMENT STAFF CABINET OFFICE MAR GOODALL CABINET OFFICE MR BRENNAN..... M PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL
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