CONFIDENTIAL
0460
MDHIAN 966
M
OUR UNDERTAKING NOT TO ALLOW HONG KONG TO BECOME ''A BASE FOR SUBVERSION
ACCORDING TO THE CHINESE INTERPRETATION, THIS UNDERTAKING REQUIRES US TO CURB THE ACTIVITIES OF HONG KONG ANTI-CHINA GROUPS AS WELL AS OVERSEAS-BASED ANTI-CHINA GROUPS. THEY WILL SEE THE PROPOSED NEW ORDINANCE AS INSTITUTIONALISING OUR, TO THEM, UNSATISFACTORY CURRENT STANCE ON SUBVERSION.
4.
WE AGREE WITH THE COURSE OF ACTION OUTLINED IN PARA 8 OF TUR. FOR THE REASONS GIVEN IN PARA 3 ABOVE WE SUGGEST THAT IN BRIEFING THE CHINESE YOU INCLUDE A REFERENCE TO OUR UNDERTAKING NOT TO ALLOW HONG KONG TO BECOME A BASE FOR SUBVERTING CHINA AND AN ASSURANCE THAT THE NEW ORDINANCE IS MEANT TO SUPPORT THAT UNDERTAKING (AS WELL AS PUBLIC ORDER AND SECURITY). ONE MINOR POINT: (LAST SENTENCE OF PARA 7) SURELY THE POINT TO MAKE TO THE CHINESE IS THAT THE RELEVANT POWER IS/IS RETAINED UNDER THE REVISED LEGISLATION NOT THAT IT IS ''ESSENTIALLY'' RETAINED. THE CHINESE ARE AS SENSITIVE
TO WEASEL WORDS AS WE ARE AND WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHAT WAS MISSING
UNDER THE REVISED LEGISLATION.
5. ON SUCH A SENSITIVE SUBJECT THE CHINESE WILL WANT ADEQUATE TIME
TO CONSULT PEKING. THE TIMETABLE SHOULD TAKE ACCOUNT OF THIS: IT WOULD BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO TRY TO BOUNCE THEM.
MCLAREN
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
60
.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
.(RESTRICTED)
LIMITED
HKD
PUSD
HD/FED
NEWS D
DISTRIBUTION
64
PLANNERS
RAD
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD
SIR J COLES
MR BURNS
ADDITIONAL
MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS
MISS BROOKS
LEG ADV
CAB OFF.
MISS NEVILLE-JONES
SIR P CRADOCK NO.10
2
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL
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