CONFIDENTIAL
ANNEX OF SPECIFIC TEXTUAL AMENDMENTS
Chapter 23
P3
Second Paragraph: "gave the Chinese an opening to denounce publicly unilateral moves, "insincere attitudes" and inadequate consultation". Does not make clear that all 3 phrases are Chinese judgements. Insert "what they regarded as" between "publicly" and "unilaterally".
Sir P Cradock: Agreed.
P5
Fourth paragraph.
Delete: "It is a curious story, which will have to be reserved for a later occasion. Equally," This will excite press interest and invite inevitable questions. It is unnecessary to the tale.
Sir P Cradock: fluffed".
P6
"I note your point, you'd like it removed or
"Latest in a series of secret visits". Implication that there was a series might be damaging to China's perception of our trust-worthiness. Better "intended as a secret visit".
Sir P Cradock: Agreed.
P7
- "the airport was therefore to become an instrument in China's full rehabilitation after Tiananmen." Implies that we shared that objective with China. Better "the airport was therefore regarded by China as an instrument in its rehabilitation after Tiananmen".
Sir P Cradock:
P12
Agreed.
Last line, the use of "Hong Kong" here is factually incorrect. He later correctly notes that it was the Legislative Council and the Hong Kong Legal Profession which "decided to assert itself by rejecting the agreement on the Court of Final Appeal".
Sir P Cradock: Agreed.
P15
"We were also coming to the end of an era, which might be called that of Sino-British cooperation over Hong Kong". Tendentious (and overstated hardly "the end of an era"; we are engaged in talks with China now).
- "a policy of effective, if not altogether intended confrontation". Factually incorrect. At no time has HMG engaged in a policy of confrontation, intended or otherwise.
jm.lett.JM
SLM
CONFIDENTIAL