CO537-3706 — Page 126

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the Governor of Hong Kong would be willing to release the two men without necessarily waiting for final details to be completed.

6. There seems to us to be no reason why we should not offer alternatives to the Chinese Government as long as they do not go beyond the concessions we are willing to make, and unless therefore you see objection, you should act in the manner suggested by the Chinese Ambassador. You should at the same time make it clear that the statement is merely a tentative one which has only been discussed at departmental level.

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