OCMIAN 4706
CONFIDENTIAL
DD 12010OZ HOKON
CONFIDE
нни опт
ICHIVED IN REGISTRY 12 NOV 1935
PA
INDLA
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
111805Z NOV
GRS 701
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 120100Z HONG KONG
TELNO 1753
OF 111805Z NOVEMBER 85
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
256
AGB 15/11
4706
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1
PA-014/1
this beeke
257
PEKING TELNOS 1618-9 AND HONG KONG TELNO 2461: JOINT LIAISON
GROUP: REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG
1.
OUR INITIAL REACTIONS ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE IN YOUR TUR ON STRATEGY, BUT NOT QUITE THE SAME ON TACTICS.
2.
OUR IMPRESSION IS THAT HONG KONG PUBLIC OPINION HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT AMBIVALENT RECENTLY ON THE QUESTION OF DISCUSSING FUTURE CHANGES IN THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WITH THE CHINESE. ON THE ONE
HAND THERE IS ALARM THAT SUCH A DEVELOPMENT MIGHT REDUCE THE AUTHORITY OF THE HONG KONG AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS TO ADMINISTER HONG KONG, WHILE ON THE OTHER THERE IS A WISH TO SEE THAT THERE SHOULD NOT BE A CLASH WITH THE CHINESE OVER THIS WHILE THEY ARE
DRAFTING THE BASIC LAW. IT SEEMS TO US THAT IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IT MIGHT BE POLITICALLY EASIER FOR US TO RESPOND TO
A CHINESE PROPOSAL THAT THE SUBJECT BE DISCUSSED THAN TO RAISE IT
WE OURSELVES, AND THAT AN OPPORTUNITY THEREFORE NOW EXISTS. THEREFORE AGREE THAT WE SHOULD SEEK TO EXPLOIT THIS APPROACH, AND WE ALSO AGREE WITH THE OBJECTIVES LISTED IN PARA 3 OF YOUR TUR.
HOWEVER WE ARE INCLINED TO THINK THAT IT WOULD BE UNWISE
FORMALLY TO REFUSE TO AGREE THAT THE MATTER BE PLACED ON THE
AGENDA OF THE FORTHCOMING JLG MEETING. THIS IS THE FIRST SUBJECT WHICH THE CHINESE HAVE THEMSELVES PROPOSED FOR DISCUSSION WITHIN
THE JLG. CLEARLY THE DECISION TO RAISE IT HAS BEEN TAKEN AT A
3.
1
CONFIDENTIAL
-VERY