CONFIDENTIAL

065164

MDHIAN 1330

WOULD BE NO TRACES WHATSOEVER

1 T

''NOT EVEN AN IOTA

OF SOCIALISM IN THE WAY HONG KONG WOULD BE RUN. CHINA WOULD STRICTLY ABIDE BY THE PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION,

COMMENT.

8.

I HAD OUTLINED TO CHEN AT MY FAREWELL LUNCH FOR GUO FENGMIN ON 13 MARCH OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE THREE POINTS I WISHED TO RAISE WITH HIM FORMALLY LATER. CHEN HAD CLEARLY CONSULTED THOSE CONCERNED WITH THE PRESENT PHASE OF THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW AND APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO GIVE US A NEGATIVE RESPONSE. WE CANNOT YET BE CERTAIN THAT THE CHINESE WILL TAKE NO ACCOUNT AT ALL OF THE POINTS WE HAVE MADE. THEY MAY YET COME TO SEE THE FORCE OF OUR ARGUMENT ON ARTICLE 24(4) IN PARTICULAR. BUT, EVEN THERE, THE CHANCES SEEM SLIM.

9. THE PURPOSE OF CHEN'S REQUEST FOR DETAILS OF FIFOOT'S LAST DISCUSSION ABOUT ARTICLE 24(4) IS OBSCURE. THE RECORD OF THE SIXTH ROUND OF TALKS (PAGES 24-25 OF THE RECORD ENCLOSED WITH YING'S (GDB) LETTER OF 3 FEBRUARY TO MS. MAJOR (HKD) AND PARA 8 OF HONG KONG TELNO 281 DO NOT PROVIDE MUCH FOR US TO OFFER.

DONALD

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

60

ΜΑΙΝ

57

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

. (RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

HKD

HD/FED

RESEARCH D (FE)

PUSD NEWS D

PS/MR MAUDE PS/LORD BRABAZON MR GILLMORE

MR MCLAREN

ADDITIONAL

3

MR WHOMERSLEY LEGAL ADVISERS MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS

MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVISERS

NNNN

PAGE 3 CONFIDENTIAL

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