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FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR PRIVATE SECRETARY, GOVERNMENT HOUSE FROM
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HONG KONG TELNO 20U3: LORD MAC LEHOSE
1. WE ARE NERVOUS ABOUT THE IDEA THAT THE GOVERNOR SHOULD FORMALLY GO ON THE RECORD WITH THE WHOLE OF THE LINE IN YOUR PARA
2(A). IT MUST INEVITABLY AMOUNT TO A VERY SELECTIVE ACCOUNT OF WHAT TRANSPIRED BETWEEN DENG XIAOPING AND LORD MACALEHOSE IN MARCH
1979. IT WOULD BE MOST UNFORTUNATE IF THE CHINESE FELT THAT THIS WAS SUCH A DISTORTED REFERENCE TO THE MEETING (PERHAPS BECAUSE IT
COULD BE READ AS IMPLYING THAT DENG XIAOPING SUBSEQUENTLY CHANGED HIS MIND OR THAT CHINA WAS NOT THROUGHOUT INTENDING TO RESUME HONG KONG IN 1997) THAT THEY HAD TO ISSUE A STATEMENT OF THEIR
OWN. THIS COULD LEAD TO PUBLIC DISAGREEMENT AND RECRIMINATION
WHICH WOULD SERVE NO USEFUL PURPOSE.
2. WE SHOULD THEREFORE PREFER TO OMIT THE LAST SENTENCE OF THE
LINE TO TAKE. SUBSTITUTING QUOTE IT IS QUITE WRONG TO SUGGEST
THAT LORD MACCLEHOSE MISLED THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG UNQUOTE.
EVEN THIS LINE IS ONLY JUST TENABLE, IN OUR VIEW.
3. WE ALSO HAVE SOME MISGIVINGS ABOUT USE OF THE LINE IN PARA 2(B)
DURING AN ELECTION CAMPAIGN. ALTHOUGH IT IS HISTORICALLY
ACCURATE IT MAKES DIRECT REFERENCES TO POLITICAL PARTIES WHICH
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