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23. I SAID THAT IF WE DID NOT GAZETTE ON 12 MARCH, AND THERE WAS STILL NO AGREEMENT, PEOPLE WOULD ASK IF WE HAD ANY BOTTOM LINE. WE HAD BENT OVER BACKWARDS IN THE PAST FOUR WEEKS TO SHOW SINCERITY AND HAD LOST QUITE A LOT OF SUPPORT AND CREDIBILITY AS A RESULT. I THOUGHT THE VIEW OF THE COUNCIL WAS THAT WE SHOULD GAZETTE THIS WEEK UNLESS, BY 11 MARCH, THERE WAS AGREEMENT ABOUT THE TERMS OF AN ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING DATES, THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG REPRESENTATION AND THE QUESTION OF SECRECY. IF WE REACHED AGREEMENT ON ALL THOSE BUT THE CHINESE WANTED TO DELAY ANNOUNCEMENT FOR A FEW DAYS, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE HARD TO GAZETTE, ALTHOUGH I MIGHT WELL NEED TO EXPLAIN NON-GAZETTAL BY SAYING THAT A JOINT ANNOUNCEMENT ON TALKS WOULD TAKE PLACE VERY SOON.
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I SAID THAT I WAS NOT SURE THAT IT WAS RIGHT FOR US TO GO BACK TO THE CHINESE IN PEKING. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER IF
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