SECRET
нка 23311
77
152272
MDHIAN 6009
SECRET
FM UKREP
TELNO 80
JLG HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
OF 090645Z MARCH 92
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, HONG KONG
75
913
YOUR TELNO 433: HMOCS: BRIEFING THE CHINESE
TOP COPY Q DIST?
1.
MY OWN ADVICE IS THAT IT WOULD BE BEST FOR ME TO RAISE THIS IN A CALL ON GUO. I DO NOT THINK THAT RAISING IT IN PEKING WILL, IN CHINESE EYES, ENHANCE THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS IS A MATTER FOR HMG, NOT HKG. SO FAR AS THEY ARE CONCERNED I SPEAK FOR HMG: INDEED THEY ARE VERY ANXIOUS TO KEEP IT THIS WAY. THE DOWNSIDE RISK OF ACTION IN PEKING ON A MATTER WHICH THE CHINESE WILL SEE AS NATURAL FOR THE ORGAN OF DISCUSSION SET UP SPECIFICALLY TO DEAL WITH THE TRANSITION IS THAT THE CHINESE WILL BE LED TO ASK THEMSELVES WHY WE ARE DOING IT THIS WAY, AND WILL PROBABLY START TO SMELL NON-EXISTENT RATS. THEY WILL PROBABLY CONCLUDE THAT IF WE ARE TRYING TO AVOID THE JLG THEY OUGHT TO MAKE SURE THE MATTER IS REFERRED TO IT.
2.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IF I INITIATE MATTERS WITH GUO THE MODE OF APPROACH IS LESS LIKELY TO AROUSE SUSPICION. I CAN MAKE IT CLEAR, AS THE SPEAKING NOTE ALREADY DOES, THAT I AM BRIEFING HIM FOR INFORMATION, AND NOT ASKING FOR A CHINESE RESPONSE.
3.
THIS WAS THE CONCLUSION REACHED AT A MEETING WITH THE GOVERNOR ON 6 MARCH.
4. HKG WILL TELEGRAPH SEPARATELY ON THE SPEAKING NOTE.
GALSWORTHY
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
29
HKD
FED
NEWS D
DISTRIBUTION
29
MR BURNS
LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS ODA//MR KERBY
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