CHIESE PUCITION HAD BEEN MADE VERY CLEAP
ON 12 MAY, HE WOULD NOT REPEAT IT. HE WISHED TO POINT
·
CUT THAT IT WAS NOT SO MUCH OF CHINESE GIFFICULTIES' THAT
BLUNT SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN, DUT CHINA'S VIEW THAT THE
TVO TEANC CHOULD NOT BE ANNOUNCED UNTIL THE CUTSTANDING LAND
CONNICCION ISSUES HAD BEEN SETTLES.
THE CHINESE SIDE SAW NO NEED FOR A SIMULTANEOUS
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE JLG AND LAND COMMISSION TEAMS.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE JLG'S COMPOSITION WA A
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. THE CHINESE POSITION REMAINED UNCHANGED. WHE NOTED THAT THE BRITISH SIDE DID NOT INTEND A
FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF THEIR TEAM ON THE LAND COMMISSION BUT PROPOSED TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS. SPEAKING PERSONALLY, HE SAW NO ADVANTAGE IN SUCH A COURSE. HE SAID THAT IT WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THERE TO BE ANNOUNCEMENT. HE HOPED THAT WE WOULD NOT MAKE A UNILATERAL ANNOUNCEMENT. BLUNT POINTED OUT THAT HE HAD NOT
SPOKEN OF AN **INTENTION'' TO MAKE A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT. IT REMAINED OUR FIRM VIEW THAT IT WOULD BE BEST IF THE COMPOSITION OF THE JLG AND THE LAND COMMISSION WERE ANNOUNCED AT THE SAME TIME. DAMAGING SPECULATION WOULD CCCUR OR
NOT IN THE ABSENCE OF AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE COMPOSITION OF THE LAND COMMISSION, WITH BLUNT AND WANG PEPEATING EACH SIDE'S VIEWS. BLUNT UNDERTOOK TO REPORT.
COMMENT
7. WE ARE THEREFORE AGREED ON THE TEXT OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DATE OF RATIFICATION AND THE TIMING OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THAT OF THE COMPOSITION OF THE JLG TEAMS. THE CHINESE ARE CLEARLY SEEKING TO BUY CONCESSIONS FROM US OVER THEIR LAND COMMISSION PROPOSALS IN EXCHANGE FOR AGREEMENT TO ANNOUNCE DETAILS OF THE LAND COMMISSION'S COMPOSITION AT THE SAE TIME AS THE ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE JLG AND
RATIFICATION.
I SEE NO REASON WHY WE SHOULD SUCCUMB TO THIS PRESSURE. I THINK WE SHOULD PROCEED AS PROPOSED IN PARAGRAPH 1(D) OF YOUR THR.
EVANS
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 MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
OFFICE
MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE KRB R C CHRISTOPHER, CABINET OFF. SIR P CRADDOCK, No. 10 DOWNING ST.
CONFIDENTIAL