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01211
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24 JAN1990
DESK ILEM
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037040
MDHIAN 3289
Redacted Under FOI
Exemption Sec 27(1)
INDEX
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 22073OZ F C O
TELNO 113
OF 220534Z JANUARY 90
fr
INFO DESKBY 22073OZ HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
PERSONAL FOR MCLAREN AUSS (RESIDENT CLERK PLEASE PASS).
HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR.
UKREP JLG HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY.
HONG KONG TELNOS 273, 274 AND 276, UKREP JLG TELNO 16 AND YOUR TELN 201: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT : QIAN'S REPLY OF 20 JANUARY.
2.
IT IS NECESSARY TO BEAR IN MIN
THE TIME PRESSURES UNDER WHICH WE ARE OPERATING. IN ADDITION TO THE CURRENT MEETING OF THE SPECIAL GROUP CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMAN AND NEXT MONTH'S BLDC PLENARY, THERE ARE ALSO THE CONSTRAINTS IMPOSED B CHINESE NEW YEAR WHICH MEAN WE WILL BE UNLIKELY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE ANY APPROACH DURING THE PERIOD 27-30 JANUARY. WE SHOULD AIM TO MAKE AN INITIAL RESPONSE AT LEAST BEFORE THE CHINESE NEW YEAR SIMPLY TO LET THE CHINESE KNOW THAT WE ARE STILL IN THE GAME. FAILURE TO DO S RISKS THE CHINESE CONCLUDING THAT WE HAVE LOST INTEREST IN REACHING AGREEMENT AND THUS COMMITTING THEMSELVES TO THE PROPOSALS PUT FORWARD IN GUANGZHOU LAST WEEK.
3.
THIS ASIDE, I AM AFRAID I DO NOT FEEL QUITE SO CONFIDENT WITH THE IMPLICATION OF PARA 10 OF FIRST TUR THAT THE DEADLINE FOR AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE IS THE OPENING OF THE BLDC PLENARY ON 12 FEBRUARY. THE SPECIAL GROUP MEETING LAST WEEK HAS ALREADY RESULTED IN UNHELPFUL STATEMENTS BY THE CHINESE DRAFTERS. AS FIRST TUR HAS NOTED, THIS HAS INCREASED THE PRESSURE ON US IN HONG KONG. WE CAN EXPECT THAT SIMILAR STATEMENTS WILL BE MADE AFTER THE CURRENT MEETING OF SPECIAL GROUP CHAIRMEN AND VICE-CHAIRMEN
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