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It is however too early to conclude that this will not get anywhere. We should therefore perhaps give some thought to how Hong Kong would sign such an agreement. On this we would welcome your views. Our first thoughts are: that it should not be called an "agreement" and we have drafted so as to avoid the language of a treaty: that it should probably take the form of an exchange of notes between the Japanese Consul-General and the Secretary for Education and Manpower; and that we would probably not need an entrustment from you to do this. Finally, although this would be an agreement for one year only (though it could be repeated) and although the JD provides for the future HK SAR to decide its own cultural policies and conclude its own cultural agreements, we may wish to tip off the Chinese before signature, and before they read about it in the papers.
Yours ever
Вов
(R. N. Peirce)
Deputy Political Adviser
c.c.
D. G. Blunt, Esq., Peking C. E. J. Wilton, Esq., Tokyo
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PS. I also enclose
agreement four you ease
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5. the PNG Si reference