SECRET
FM FCO
TO
IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELNO 115
OF 031805Z FEBRUARY 88
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG
KONG
SECRET
94
035226
MDHOAN 7997
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
YOUR TELNO 226: REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: WHITE PAPER
1.
THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT IN TUR. MISS BAILES WAS QUITE RIGHT TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF CONFIDENTIALITY CONCERNING THE CONTENTS OF THE WHITE PAPER PRIOR TO PUBLICATION ON 10 FEBRUARY. HOWEVER, WE THINK THAT IF WE ARE ASKED WE SHALL HAVE TO BE READY TO CONFIRM IN PUBLIC THAT COPIES OF THE WHITE PAPER WERE PASSED TO THE CHINESE AS A MATTER OF COURTESY IN ADVANCE OF PUBLICATION. WE ARE BOUND TO BE ASKED THAT QUESTION IN HONG KONG: AND WE DO NOT THINK THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED BY THE REPLY.
SINCE DRAFTING THE ABOVE WE HAVE SEEN THAT THE DEPUTY CHIEF SECRETARY HAS ALREADY TAKEN THE LINE IN PARA 1.
HOWE
HURB 011/1
YYYY
MAIN
48
R.
-4/E
DISTRIBUTION
49
HONG KONG AGREEMENT RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH (FE)
PUSD
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR EGGAR
MR MCLAREN
MR GILLMORE
ADDITIONAL
1
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
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