CONFIDENTIAL
002
MDLIAN A 0
DELEGATION, HAD BEEN FULLY CONSIDERED.
4.
WE DO NOT THINK THAT OPTION A IS DESIRABLE. THE MARGINAL ADVANTAGE OF SPEED, IS CLEARLY OUTWEIGHED BY THE FACT THAT WE ARE UNLIKELY TO SETTLE THIS MATTER. OPTION B HAS SOME ATTRACTIONS, BUT THESE ARE BALANCED BY THE RISKS. OPTION C SEEMS TO BE THE BEST WAY FORWARD. HOWEVER, FOR THEIR OWN POLITICAL PURPOSES, MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION WILL UNDOUBTEDLY CONTINUE TO PRESS US ON WHEN WE ARE LIKELY TO RECEIVE A DECISION. THEY WILL BE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED TO PREPARE FOR THEIR VISIT TO LONDON. THINK, THEREFORE, THAT IF WE ARE TO FOLLOW THIS LINE OF ACTION, WE SHOULD TELL LEGCO THAT THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE DECIDED. WE THINK THAT THIS COULD BE PORTRAYED AS A POSITIVE GESTURE.
5. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS.
PATTEN
WE
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
71
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
6
CAOFF//SIR R BRAITHWAITE (DIO) CAOFF//MISS NEVILLE-JONES
NNNN
PS NO 10.
2
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL