GRS 250
SECRET
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 25093OZ FCO
TELNO 438
OF 250722Z MARCH 86
Secret
(INFO DESKBY 260100Z HONG KONG
HRR 0!!!!
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
26 MAR 1986
DESK OPTICAP
INDEX
PA
135
HONG KONG TELNO 852: REPRESENTAT INE-GOVERNME
THE 1987 REVIEW: BASIC LAW PAPER
WISTRY
Somon Taken
двод
THE BASIC LAW AND
1. THE ONLY POINT I HAVE ON THE DRAFTING OF THMS TEXT CONCERNS PARAGRAPH 1: PARAGRAPH 3(12) OF THE JOINT DECLARATION HAS BEEN INCORRECTLY QUOTED.
2. HOWEVER, DO HAVE SERIOUS RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE PROPOSED USE OF THIS PAPER. WE MUST ASSUME THAT THE CHINESE WILL LEARN OF ITS EXISTENCE. IT IS ALSO LIKELY THAT THEY WILL MANAGE TO LAY THER HANDS ON A COPY. IF SO # WOULD EXPECT THEM TO BE GREATLY EXERCISED BY WHAT THEY WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY PERCEIVE AS A CLEAR ATTEMPT BY US TO DRAFT THE BASIC LAW (SEE FOR EXAMPLE PARAGRAPH 17 OF THE DRAFT PAPER). THAT THE BASIC LAW SHOULD BE DRAFTED BY CHINA ALONE IS AN HISSUE OF GREAT FORMAL AND POLITICAL IMPORTANCE FOR CHINESE LEADERSHIP. THEY SAW THE PAPER, THE CHINESE COULD BE SO EXERCISED THAT THE SUCCESS OF OUR WHOLE STRATEGY WOULD BE PUT AT RISK.
3. THEREFORE WONDER WHOM THE GOVERNOR HAS IN MIND WHEN HE REFERS TO TRUSTED BLDC MEMBERS (PARAGRAPH 6(D) OF HIS TELNO 848): WHETHER A WRITTEN DOCUMENT IS REALLY NECESSARY FOR BRIEFING PURPOSES: AND, IF SO, EXACTLY HOW IT WOULD BE HANDLED. WOULD, FOR EXAMPLE, FEEL A LITTLE LESS WORRIED IF THOSE SELECTED FOR ACCESS TO THE PAPER HAD TO READ INT IN A SECURE ENVIRONMENT AND WERE NOT PERMITTED TO TAKE COPIES AWAY (AS BELIEVE AS THE CASE WITH EXCO MEMORANDA).
EVANS
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
DEP HD/PUSD
HD/PUSD
RD (MR WALKER)
PS
PS/LADY YOUNG
PS/MR RENTON
PS/PUS
SIR W HARD ING
SIR J FREELAND MR WILSON MR CROWLEY
PUSD
COPIES TO:- MR ROBERTS
MR FIFOOT
MR WOOD
MR PEIRCE
MR MALLABY
NEWS DEPT LEGAL ADVISERS LEGAL ADVISERS
ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFIC
CABINET OFFICE
MR DRC CHRISTOPHER
CABINET OFFICE
SIR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREET
Secret
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