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8. DURING HIS VISIT TO PEKING IN APRIL FOR THE MEETING OF THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE, HE WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY SEE CHINESE LEADERS. SINCE THIS WILL FOLLOW CLOSELY ON HIS VISIT TO LONDON THE CHINESE
MAY EASILY TAKE WHAT HE SAYS ABOUT THINKING IN LONDON AS HAVING SOME SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE, WHETHER OR NOT IT IS BASED ON HIS ACTUAL DISCUSSIONS. HOPE THEREFORE THAT MINISTERS WILL MAKE
CLEAR TO Y K THAT THE IDEA OF A TRANSITION EXCLUSIVELY MANAGED
BETWEEN LONDON AND PEKING AS A NON-STARTER: AND THAT THE 1987
THAT THE REVIEW WILL, AS MINISTERS HAVE MADE ABUNDANTLY CLEAR, HAVE TO BE A SERIOUS ONE. IF THE IDEA CAN ALSO BE IMPRESSED ON HIM THAT THE
PRESENT EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS WILL HAVE TO BE TAKEN
SERIOUSLY BY THE CHINESE, THAT WILL BE A BONUS. GIVEN THAT IT IS
SO INCONSISTENT WITH HIS OWN THINKING & DO NOT BELIEVE THAT HE
WOULD BE PREPARED TO CARRY THAT MESSAGE TO PEKING: BUT HIT MIGHT
PREVENT THE OPPOSITE VIEWS BEING ATTRIBUTED TO HMG.
9. PLEASE GIVE THIS TELEGRAM VERY LIMITED DISTRIBUTION. IF THERE IS ANY OTHER ASPECT ON WHICH MINISTERS WOULD LIKE ADVICE PERHAPS YOU WOULD LET ME KNOW.
YOUDE
LIMITED
HD/HKD
PS
PS/MR RENTON PS/PUS
MR WILSON
SIR W HARDING
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