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meetings of the Group
not to be too frequent. A gradual start to the activities of the Group would make it easier to accustom
Hong Kong to it. On the other hand there are already areas where discussion with the Chinese is becoming necessary (eg the White Paper on constitutional development), and we do not wish to restrict
the activities of the Group to the point where it becomes difficult
for us
to use it to further our aims. These considerations suggest that the initial pattern should be something like the minimum number of plenary sessions (three a year) but with a degree of flexibility and the possibility of holding extra meetings. Probably we should
try to fix only one meeting at a time.
10. We must recognise that the Chinese may seek from the start to
propose a more substantial corpus of work or a more elaborate
pattern of meetings, perhaps covering topics unwelcome to us. We shall have to be ready to resist such proposals if necessary.
11. We may well wish to suggest the formation of a certain number
of expert sub-groups at an early stage. A possible example is a
sub-group on treaties. There will be a heavy burden of detailed and technical work, which will almost certainly need to be hived off to legal experts working under the general direction of the main
Group.
12. Hong Kong's position in the GATT and other international
economic arrangements will be another topic for early work. first instance this might be handled in the main Group. [Other
subjects?].
In the
13. The Chinese may well have their own ideas for sub- groups. Α possible suggestion from their side would be the formation of a
sub-group on Hong Kong financial and budgetary policy. There could be some advantage in taking this opportunity to educate the Chinese more fully on Hong Kong's financial management; although certain sensitive information may need to be withheld until much nearer to
1997.
14. In the light of all the above, our aim might be that the first meeting of the Group should cover the following ground:
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