CONFIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL
MKB 180/2
18
to Righetts, two
The winner was
grateful for this note.
1 U 1993
FROM: P F Ricketts
Hong Kong Department DATE: 10ctober 1993
G.J. Darey 6/10
Mikister
Hum
Mr Hum o/r
PS/Mr Goodlad
HONG KONG/CHINA: JARDINES
1
1.
cc: Si J Cotés-
M
Mr Fry, FED
7/10
the White $110.
езе
4
1/10
Sir Charles Powell has given me in confidence the attached
note of the talks which he and Henry Keswick have just had in
Peking.
2.
There are a number of interesting points:
Sir C Powell's idea (in his covering letter) about trying to reach agreement on principles in the talks on electoral issues. I see his point. But I very much doubt that returning to a debate about principles would help us to finesse our present problems. It would be different if the Chinese side had showed any willingness to be flexible on the practical details in return for our signing up to some general principles. But I see no sign of that. It is much more likely that if we ever accepted their principles
(however packaged) they would then demand that we implement them through highly restrictive electoral arrangements; The Chinese side evidently tried to galvanise Jardines into putting pressure on HMG by uttering dark threats about rough
times ahead if the talks breakdown. Sir C Powell added in
discussion with me that if there was a breakdown the business
community in Hong Kong would almost to a man put the blame on
the Hong Kong Government. Re-insurance with Peking was already happening apace: but the trend would accelerate. This strikes me as right. It is an angle not covered in Hong Kong's scene-setting telegram for the Minister's visit which
struck me as too sanguine about the implications of breakdown
jardines.PET.JRB
CONFIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL
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