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10. THIS LEVEL WOULD BE THE HARDEST TO ARRANGE AND CONTROL. WHAT
I THINK WE SHOULD AIM FOR IS A FAIRLY FREE FLOW OF IDEAS, EXPLICITLY WITHOUT COMMITMENT ON EITHER SIDE, WITH THE TRIPLE
PURPOSE ON OUR SIDE OF :-
(A) MAXIMISING THE PROPENSITY OF THE CHINESE TO ACCEPT THE OUTCOME
OF THE 1987 REVIEW.
(B) MAXIMISING THEIR PROPENSITY TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THIS OUTCOME IN
DRAFTING THE BASIC LAW, AND
(C) GAINING A CLEAR INSIGHT INTO THE DIRECTION WHICH THE DRAFTING
PROCESS OF THE BASIC LAW WAS LIKELY TO TAKE.
11. IN HONG KONG LAST WEEK I SUGGESTED THAT THE THREE PAPERS
DESTINED FOR THE CHINESE MIGHT BE GIVEN TO THEM IN ADVANCE OF ANY
MEETING BETWEEN THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND WU. ON REFLECTION, HOWEVER, THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE A MISTAKE. I BELIEVE THAT OUR CHANCES OF GETTING THE EXERCISE OFF TO A GOOD START WILL BE CONSIDERABLY IMPROVED IF WU IS THE FIRST SENIOR PERSON ON THE CHINESE SIDE TO GO THROUGH THE PAPERS. IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER IF HE WERE TO INDICATE HIS FIRST REACTIONS TO ZHOU NAN THAN VICE VERSA (I DOUBT WHETHER ZHOU WILL ACCOMPANY HIM ON HIS EUROPEAN TOUR, BUT I WILL CHECK).
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
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PS/PUS
COPIES TO:-
MR ROBERTS
MR FIFOOT
MR WOOD
MR PEIRCE
NEWS DEPT
LEGAL ADVISERS
LEGAL ADVISERS
ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFIC
MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE
MR DRC CHRISTOPHER CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREET
SIR W HARDING
SIR J FREELAND
MR WILSON
MR CROWLEY
1
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