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DESKBY 1601002
FM FCO 151820Z JANUARY 85
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 21 OF 15 JANUARY
по
R
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS NEW YORK (FOR SIR E YOUDE)
HONG KONG TELNO 120: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NEW NATIONALITY TITLE
1. NOW THAT EXCO HAVE CONFIRMED THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE TITLE
'BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS)', YOU SHOULD ARRANGE TO CALL ON
ZHOU NAN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. YOU SHOULD SPEAK AS PROPOSED IN
PARAGRAPH 2 OF YOUR TELNO 43, EXCEPT THAT YOU SHOULD DEAL WITH
THE QUESTION OF A CHINESE TRANSLATION AS LAID DOWN IN OUR TELNO
83 TO HONG KONG. YOU SHOULD ALSO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU WOULD LIKE A QUICK REPLY, SO THAT IF THE CHINESE DO NOT OBJECT TO THE TITLE, MINISTERS MAY REFER TO IT IN THE SECOND READING DEBATE
ON 21 JANUARY.
2. IN TAKING THIS LINE YOU SHOULD STRESS THAT THE INABILITY OF
THE CHINESE SIDE TO ACCEPT OUR PREFERRED VERSION OF 'BRITISH
NATIONAL: HONG KONG' HAS CAUSED US CONSIDERABLE PROBLEMS. WE
HAVE HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY IN DEVISING AN ALTERNATIVE. WE BELIEVE
THAT THE WORDING ON WHICH WE HAVE SETTLED IS JUST SATISFACTORY
FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW. WE TRUST THAT THE CHINESE WILL NOT SEE
DIFFICULTIES IN IT FOR THEM. WE HAVE MADE GREAT EFFORTS TO TAKE
ACCOUNT OF THEIR VIEWS.
HOWE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER)
PS
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
MR J CROWLEY, PUSD
COPIES TO:(VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
OFFICE
MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE
SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST
CONFIDENTIAL