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CONFIDENTIAL
нко раб/13.
FROM: N J Cox
Hong Kong Department
DATE: 22 August 1991
cc: Sir J Coles
Mr Cooper, Planners Mr Seaton, FED Mr Crystal, News D Mr Wye, RAD
Mr Davies, FED
PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO CHINA: SPEECH
1.
I attach a cleaned-up version of the revised draft for the airport signing ceremony, which I sent yesterday evening, and with which you said you were content. I think that a speech on these lines should go down well both in Hong Kong and here. I think it is useful to reiterate in this way key language from the Joint Declaration and some other Chinese statements.
2. In the time available I do not think that we can clear this with Peking and Hong Kong. I am satisfied that Hong Kong would see no difficulties, though they might slightly prefer to have no reference made to British companies' interest in the airport project: I think that is helpful here.
3. I do not think that the Chinese can take issue with anything in the speech, but they would no doubt wish to put the balance differently themselves: hence my recommendation that we do not show it to them before the signing ceremony. I have classified the draft "restricted".
Moso
N J Cox
BUGABK
CONFIDENTIAL