CONFIDENTIAL
904
3.
MAINTAIN ITS PROSPERITY AND STABILITY.
WE HOPE THE
CHINESE WILL ACCEPT THE SINCERITY OF OUR MOTIVES.
WE AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO TRY TO GET JI TO
UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN HMG, HKG AND THE PEOPLE OF
HONG KONG, THOUGH WE SUSPECT THAT CHINESE THINKING IS
CONDITIONED NOT ONLY BY MISUNDERSTANDINGS OF THE POSITION BUT
ALSO BY DETERMINATION TO HOLD LONDON RESONSIBLE, AND NOT TO
ALLOW THIS RESPONSIBILITY TO BE DEVOLVED. IN THE PARTICULAR
CONTEXT OF THE 1987 REVIEW IT WILL BE HELPFUL IF YOU CAN GET
ACROSS THAT AT THE PRESENT STAGE NO IDEAS HAVE BEEN PUT TO
LONDON BY THOSE IN HONG KONG WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FORMULATING
POLICY ADVICE, WHICH WOULD SUBSEQUENTLY BE PUT TO MINISTERS IN
LONDON: IF THE CHINESE WISH TO TALK TO THOSE MOST CLOSELY
INVOLVED IN ORDER TO
PURSUE THE CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE WHICH WE WANT THEY WILL HAVE TO
DO SO IN HONG KONG. IT WILL OF COURSE BE IMPORTANT TO ADD THAT
ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY OF COURSE REMAINS IN LONDON AND MINISTERS
HAVE NO INTENTION OF SHIRKING IT.
HOWE
OCMIAN 0904
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
HONG KONG AGREEENT
3
CONFIDENTIAL
G
1