CONFIDENTIAL
010345
เด
MDHOAN
0
ACTION WITH CHINA
5.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE
HE HAS SUGGESTED THAT WE MIGHT SAY THAT OUR ABILITY TO ARGUE EFFECTIVELY WITH THE US OVER MFN IS BEING CLOUDED THIS YEAR BY THE OPEN DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN HMG AND THE CHINESE ON SOME IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG: AND THAT THE SOONER THIS DISAGREEMENT CAN BE OVERCOME, THE MORE COGENT OUR LOBBYING WILL BE.
6.
7.
GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS ON THE MERITS OF THIS APPROACH.
IF WE ARE TO TAKE ACTION WITH THE CHINESE WE CONSIDER THAT IT SHOULD BE DONE QUICKLY. WE WOULD PROPOSE THAT BURNS WOULD CALL IN THE CHARGE HERE EARLY NEXT WEEK AND THAT COATES WOULD TAKE PARALLEL ACTION IN PEKING. IN ORDER TO MEET THIS DEADLINE,
AND WOULD WE SHALL NEED TO SUBMIT TO MINISTERS AT THE WEEKEND, THEREFORE BE GRATEFUL FOR COMMENTS FROM ADDRESSEES ON WHETHER AN APPROACH TO CHINA ON THE LINES INDICATED IS WORTHWHILE, DESKBY 1009OOZ.
HURD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
33
LIMITED
HKD
FED
NAD
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
33
ERD
PS/LORD CAITHNESS SIR J COLES
MR BURNS
THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN
CLOSED UNDER
[27.(1)
FOI EXEMPTION NO...:
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