SECRET AND PERSONAL
begin to plan for real economies.
You will doubtless wish
to talk this over with him again, now that he is being brought officially into the discussions.
5. The next question is one of tactics with Executive Council. You suggested to Andrew Stuart that you were now resigned to the probability that the first bid from the UK would be for a 100% contribution, and that wiser counsels would not prevail until formal consultations with the Hong Kong Government had shown this concept to be unworkable. This suggests that you would not oppose the adoption of Ministers' first alternative of asking initially for more than 75%. Whichever course you would prefer, our present understanding is that your advice is likely to be considered again by Ministers, say in ten days' time; but that thereafter you are not likely to be asked to consult ExCo formally until after the probable elections here are out of the way. I think therefore that the choice between the two options should depend largely on the balance of judgment within Hong Kong. A request for more than 75% could presumably be worded less peremptorily and thus postpone a confrontation; but if the present Government is returned, I do not think there would be any substantial advantage at this end.
We
6. This is a preliminary and strictly personal letter. shall be sending you a telegram in a few days' time and should be grateful for your advice in reply to that.
Jans.
ever,
大悟
2.
SECRET AND PERSONAL
ساتان
Duncan Watson
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