CONFIDENTIAL
174060
MDHIAN 5491
ALREADY BEEN PREVIOUSLY DISCLOSED BY THE COMMERCIAL DAILY (ANOTHER
LEFT-WING PAPER) QUOTING CHINESE SOURCES (SEE OUR TELNO 951 PARA. 6). ON THE OTHER HAND, IT SAID NOTHING ABOUT OUR THIRD POINT, I.E. THE SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE. THE LEAK COULD BE
AN ATTEMPT TO PUT PRESSURE ON US BEFORE THE MEETING IN LONDON ON 1 JULY. BUT IF SO, IT IS VERY CLUMSY SINCE IT SO OBVIOUSLY BREACHES THE CONFIDENTIALITY RULE. IT IS ALSO SLIGHTLY ODD THAT NO MENTION
IS MADE OF OUR PROPOSAL THAT THE FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE BE ELECTED
BY THE ELECTION COMMITTEE. IT MAY BE, THEREFORE, THAT THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF NCNA FREELANCING IN THIS LEAK, DESIGNED NOT ONLY TO PUT PRESSURE ON US BUT ALSO TO TOUGHEN UP THE CHINESE POSITION.
PATTEN
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
72
MAIN
65
.HK POLICY
HKD
PUSD
FED
LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT
LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS
LEGAL ADVISERS//MR GILES NEWS D
NTCD
PLANNERS
RAD
PS
PS/MR GOODLAD
SIR J COLES MR HUM
ADDITIONAL
CAOFF//SIR R BRAITHWAITE (DIO)
CAOFF //MISS NEVILLE-JONES
CAOFF//MR SIBSON PS NO 10.
NNNN
PAGE
2
CONFIDENTIAL