(D) PARA 7
-
IT IS TRUE TO SAY THAT PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT THE
FUTURE MOUNTED DURING THE TWO YEARS FOLLOWING LORD MACLEHOSE'S
VISIT, BUT, ON CHECKING THE RECORDS, THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC CALLS
TO FOLLOWING TWO WORDS UNDERLINED OPEN DISCUSSIONS WITH CHINA
WAS LIMITED TO THOSE REFERRED TO IN THIS PARAGRAPH. I SUGGEST
RE-DRAFTING THE SECOND SENTENCE ALONG THE FOLLOWING LINES:
''THERE WAS INCREASING AWARENESS OF THE NEED TO REMOVE THE
UNCERTAINTY WHICH THE 1997 DEADLINE GENERATED, AND SOME DISCUSSION
OF HOW THIS MIGHT BE ACHIEVED. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ISSUE WAS
PUBLICLY STRESSED BY THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN MAY 1982.
(E) PARA 9
w
4TH SENTENCE: THE TALKS WERE BETWEEN DELEGATIONS
LED BY HM AMBASSADOR IN PEKING AND A VICE-MINISTER OF THE
CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY.
(F) PARA 10 PENULTIMATE SENTENCE: THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ALSO
UNDERTOOK TO ASSIST IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUCH ARRANGEMENTS,
AND TO RECOMMEND TO PARLIAMENT THAT SOVEREIGNTY AND ADMINISTRATIVE
CONTROL PASS TO CHINA,
(G) PARA 12 1ST SENTENCE: DELETE ** ON THE SAME PATTERN AS
BEFORE'' FROM THE FIRST SENTENCE. (THE ADDITION OF THE WORKING
GROUP PROCEDURES WAS A MAJOR CHANGE TO THE PATTERN).
(H) PARA 15 WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND ANY ON THE RECORD
STATEMENT FROM THE BRITISH SIDE SAYING THAT THE AGREEMENT **WOULD
HAVE TO BE ACCEPTABLE' TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THE
USUAL FORMULATION IS THAT IT IS BRITAIN'S OBJECTIVE TO NEGOTIATE
AN AGREEMENT THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE, AND THAT THE BRITISH
GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT COMMEND AN AGREEMENT WHICH THEY DID NOT
THINK WAS ACCEPTABLE. I THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT ''WOULD HAVE TO''
IN THE SECOND SENTENCE BE REPLACED BY ''SHOULD''.
SECRET-2
PARA I