CONFIDENTIAL
124670
MDHIAN 843
1997. THE SCHEME PROPOSED BY THE WHITEHALL TEAM WOULD BE SEEN IN
THE SAME LIGHT. WHATEVER ITS ATTRACTIONS FOR HMG AND FOR THE CIVIL SERVANTS CONCERNED, I CANNOT SEE HOW THE CHINESE COULD BE PERSUADED THAT IT ALSO HAD ADVANTAGES FOR THE HONG KONG AND FUTURE SAR GOVERNMENTS. THE FURIOUS OPPOSITION WHICH SUCH A SCHEME WOULD AROUSE IN HONG KONG, AMONG LOCAL CIVIL SERVANTS AND MORE WIDELY WOULD ALONE BE SUFFICIENT TO ENSURE THAT THE CHINESE TOOK A FIRMLY NEGATIVE VIEW. IT IS INCONCEIVABLE THAT THEY WOULD WISH TO BE SEEN PROTECTING THE INTERESTS OF EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS AGAINST THOSE OF HONG KONG CHINESE FOR WHOM THEY CLAIM TO BE RESPONSIBLE.
MCLAREN
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
23
LIMITED
HKD
FED
RMD
ADDITIONAL
MR D FISH, ODA
2
MISS BROOKS, LEGAL ADVISERS
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
25
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
SIR J COLES
MR BURNS
PAGE
2
CONFIDENTIAL