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OT COPY
CONFIDENTIAL
11997 1
OCMIAN 1997
CONFIDENTIAL
OO HOKON
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
301845Z JAN
GRS 303
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK Oil
RECEIVES
03 FEB 1986
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 207
OF 301845Z JANUARY 86
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
49
PA
JINON
1 AB 312
YOUR TELNO 312: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG: PRESS
LEAKS
1.
WE WERE UNAWARE OF THIS LEAK UNTIL WE RECEIVED YOUR PRESS
~T ROUNDUP IN HONG KONG TELNO 297 AND TUR THIS MORNING. (SCMP TAKES
FIVE TO SIX DAYS TO REACH US.) IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO
HAVE HAD AN EARLIER REPORT.
2.
WE ARE VERY DISTURBED BY THE LEAK, AND HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DISCOVER THE SOURCE OF IT. WE ASSUME YOU WILL REMIND MEMBERS OF EXCO AT THE NEXT MEETING OF THE NEED TO PRESERVE THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF EXCO DOCUMENTS AND DISCUSSIONS.
3.
WE BELIEVE THAT THESE STORIES COULD BE VERY DAMAGING VIS A VIS THE CHINESE, WHO MAY WELL CONCLUDE THAT WE ARE NOT BEING FRANK WITH THEM WHEN WE SAY THAT WE HAVE AS YET NO PRECONCEIVED IDEAS ABOUT THE 1987 REVIEW. IT IS NOT JUST A QUESTION OF ZHOU NAN. THE WHOLE CHINESE MACHINE IS LIKELY TO FEEL THAT THIS IS FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT WE HAVE SOME BLUEPRINT UNDER DISCUSSION.
4.
WE DO NOT WISH MISUNDERSTANDING AND SUSPICION TO GROW AGAIN TO THE PROPORTIONS REACHED IN NOVEMBER. YOU DO NOT SAY
WE THINK IN YOUR TELEGRAM WHY YOU ARE AGAINST PREEMPTIVE ACTION. THAT THERE COULD BE A CASE FOR SPEAKING INFORMALLY TO THE CHINESE NOW TO PREVENT MISINTERPRETATION. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE
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