CONFIDENTIAL
117373
MDHIAN 561
4. IF, AS I HOPE, THE DECISION TAKEN BY MINISTERS IS POSITIVE, I.E. THAT WE WILL RETAIN TWO ROYAL NAVY PATROL CRAFT UNTIL 1997, I HAVE NO OVERWHELMING OBJECTION TO AN ANNOUNCEMENT BEING MADE AS PROPOSED, EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD STILL MAKE MORE SENSE TO GIVE ADVANCE WARNING TO BOTH EXCO AND THE CHINESE. IF, HOWEVER, THE DECISION IS NEGATIVE, I MUST ADVISE MOST STRONGLY THAT NO ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE UNTIL ADEQUATE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN.
WILSON
YYYY
MAIN
26
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
PS
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
26
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
SIR J COLES
MR BURNS
PAGE
2
CONFIDENTIAL
Page 120Page 121