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ECHOING THAT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE?
PARA 12. WE ARE DOUBTFUL ABOUT THE THIRD PHRASE HERE, AS WELL AS THE LAST TWO, WHICH YOU HAVE ALREADY ASKED SIR S Y TO RECONSIDER. IF HE MADE TOO MUCH OF THE POINT THAT LOCAL PEOPLE HAD THEIR MINDS FIRMLY ON THE INHERENT LONG-TERM RISKS', THIS WOULD CREATE A VERY NEGATIVE IMPRESSION. AGAIN PERHAPS THE REFERENCE TO LOCAL PEOPLE COULD REFER TO SUBJECTIVE FEELINGS ('UNCERTAINTIES') RATHER THAN AN APPARENTLY OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT ('RISKS').
3.
WE HAVE TO LEAVE IT TO YOU TO JUDGE HOW AMENABLE SIR S Y
PLEASE LET WILL BE TO THESE FURTHER SUGGESTIONS ABOUT HIS SPEECH.
US KNOW HOW YOUR TALK WITH HIM GOES, SO THAT WE CAN BRIEF MR RENTON TO SPEAK SUITABLY (WE HOPE, TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE FOR HIS READINESS TO ACCOMMODATE OUR CONCERNS) WHEN HE SEES SIR S Y ON 10
JUNE.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF SIR S Y COULD GIVE MR RENTON THE DEFINITIVE TEXT OF HIS SPEECH THEN.
HOWE
OCMIAN 1421
LIMITED
HKD
FED
PS
PS/MR RENTON
SIR W HARDING
DR WILSON
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CONFIDENTIAL