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MDHOAN 6314
HIB OI
S
2. &
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FM FCO
TO DESK BY 12010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 83
OF 111805Z JANUARY 88
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TOP COPY @ DIST ?
INDIA
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YOUR TELNO 112 REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: WHITE PAPER
1.
THE PRIME MINISTER HAS NOW CONSIDERED OUR PROPOSED ACTION ON
CHAPTERS III AND VIII OF THE WHITE PAPER. SHE IS CONTENT WITH
THE DECISIONS REGARDING DIRECT ELECTIONS WHICH THEY CONTAIN AND, WITH OUR PROPOSAL TO PUT TO THE CHINESE A PAPER BASED ON THIS
PART OF THE WHITE PAPER.
2.
WE HAVE RECEIVED ONLY WITHIN THE LAST HOUR YOUR TELNO 119, CONTAINING THE DRAFT OF THE COVERING PAPER WHICH YOU PROPOSE
SHOULD ACCOMPANY THE WHITE PAPER EXTRACTS. WE ARE AFRAID THAT THIS CAUSES US A MAJOR PROBLEM. WE HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY ENVISAG ED
THAT THE CHINESE WOULD AT THE SAME TIME BE INFORMED OF ALL THE
OTHER DECISIONS TO BE CONTAINED IN THE WHITE PAPER. OUR MISGIVINGS ARE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING:
(A)
THIS WOULD SEEM TO INVOLVE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE PRIOR
CONSULTATION WITH THE CHINESE ON THE CONTENT OF THE WHITE
PAPER THAN WE HAVE EVER CONTEMPLATED BEFORE:
/
(B) THE DECISIONS CONTAINED IN OTHER CHAPTERS OF THE WHITE PAPER
HAVE NOT (NOT) YET BEEN CONSIDERED BY MINISTERS HERE. ALTHOUGH
THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS SEEN AN EARLIER COMPLETE DRAFT OF
THE WHITE PAPER WE HAVE NOT FORMALLY ASKED HIM TO CONSIDER
THE OTHER DECISIONS WHICH IT CONTAINS. NOR HAS HE CONSULTED
MINISTERS COLLECTIVELY: YOU WILL RECALL FROM THE TIMETABLE
SET OUT IN YOUR TELNO 4685 OF 1987 THAT THIS WAS SCHEDULED
FOR LATER THIS WEEK. THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS ABROAD UNTIL
THE EVENING OF 13 JANUARY, AND IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY NOT BE POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO CONSIDER THE MATTER AND CIRCULATE PAPERS
TO HIS COLLEAGUES IN TIME TO MEET YOUR DEADLINES.
3.
WE THEREFORE CONCLUDE THAT WE HAD BEST REVERT TO WHAT WE
UNDERSTOOD TO BE THE EARLIER PLAN. THE PAPER INCORPORATING
CHAPTERS III AND VIII WOULD BE PASSED TO THE CHINESE WITHOUT ANY
COVERING PAPER. (ON TIMING WE FAVOUR THE OPTION (B) IN PARA 4 OF YOUR TUR.) HMA PEKING WOULD DRAW ON A SPEAKING NOTE AGREED
BETWEEN US TO EXPLAIN THAT THIS PAPER ILLUSTRATED HOW THE
QUESTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS WOULD BE HANDLED IN THE WHITE PAPER.
HE WOULD ALSO HAVE DEFENSIVE BRIEFING TO REASSURE THE CHINESE, IN RESPONSE TO ANY QUESTIONS, THAT NO UNWELCOME CHANGES WERE BEING
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