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GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG.
3.
OUR RESERVATION ON DETAIL RELATES TO THE PENULTIMATE
PARAGRAPH. THE QUOTATION FROM 1975 WHICH FIGURES THERE IS A
LITTLE PASSE. IT IS POSSIBLE TO ENVISAGE FUTURE CIRCUMSTANCES IN
WHICH IT MIGHT BE QUOTED BACK AT US BY THE CHINESE AS SUGGESTING
AN AVERSION TO ELECTIONS AS SUCH, OR AT LEAST TO ELECTIONS
(DIRECT OR INDIRECT) IN WHICH ORGANISED GROUPINGS OF CANDIDATES
MIGHT BE OFFERING THEMSELVES FOR ELECTION. THIS COULD TURN OUT
TO BE SOMETHING OF A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE. WE SUGGEST THAT THE
ENTIRE QUOTATION WOULD BEST BE REMOVED, LEAVING THE GENERAL POINT
ON CONCENSUS.
4.
SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS ON THESE POINTS, WE ARE CONTENT FOR
COPIES OF THE PAPER TO BE SENT TO PEKING AND PASSED TO THE
CHINESE AT A WORKING LEVEL.
HOWE
LIMITED
HKD
FED
DR WILSON
2
CONFIDENTIAL