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5. PRESS ANNOUNCEMENTS. I HAVE UNDERTAKEN TO SHOW TO MEMBERS OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL COPIES OF THE JOINT PRESS STATEMENT BY BOTH GOVERNMENTS AND OF THE GOVERNOR'S COMMENTS THEREON ON TUESDAY 9TH DECEMBER. I WOULD THEREFORE BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD TELEGRAPH THE FINAL TEXT OF THESE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE ON MONDAY.
6. IF, AS I ASSUME TO BE THE CASE, HMG INTENDS TO ISSUE ITS OWN COMMENT, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THIS COULD ALSO BE MADE AVAILABLE
ON MONDAY.
7. TIMING. I PROPOSE TO INFORM EXECUTIVE COUNCIL THAT MR. RODGERS WISHES AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO BE MADE AT 6 P.M LONDON TIME ON TUESDAY 9TH. I SHALL NOT TELL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ANYTHING ABOUT THE PRIME MINISTER'S AUTHORITY BEING NECESSARY BEFORE MR RODGERS CAN AGREE TO POSTPONE THE ANNOUNCEMENT BEYOND THIS HOUR. THIS WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE PRIME MINISTER HAD EARLIER GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS THAT AN ANNOUNCEMENT WAS TO BE MADE AT THIS TIME. THIS WOULD BE LIKELY TO ANTAGONIZE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SINCE IT IMPLIES THAT HMG HAS TAKEN THE LATTER'S CONSENT FOR GRANTED.
8. ASSUMING THAT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IS PREPARED TO AGREE TO A VERY EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT, NEVERTHLESS 6 P.M. TUESDAY LONDON TIME (2 A.M. HONG KONG TIME WEDNESDAY) PRESENTS VERY REAL DIFFICULTIES
FOR US HERE.
9. IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO BRIEF LOCAL EDITORS AND THE MEDIA GENERALLY NOT LATER THAN 7 P.M. TUESDAY HONG KONG TIME (11 A.M. TUESDAY LONDON TIME). ALTHOUGH THIS WOULD BE DONE ON AN EMBARGO ED BASIS THERE IS NEVERTHELESS A REAL DANGER OF LEAKAGE BACK TO LONDON WELL BEFORE 6 P.M. LONDON TIME. THIS WOULD NO DOUBT BE EMBARRASSING
TO MR. RODGERS.
10. WE THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD BE MADE BETWEEN 10 AM AND 12 WOON LONDON TIME ON WEDNESDAY 10TH. THIS WILL ENABLE US TO BRIEF EDITORS IN HONG KONG MORE OR LESS
SIMULTANEOUSLY,
11. THE ABOVE SUGGESTIONS FOR THE TIMING OF THE JOINT ANNOUNCEMENT ARE BASED OF COURSE ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IS PREPARED TO ADVISE THE CONCLUSION OF THE AGREEMENT AND THAT THE ASSURANCE GIVEN ON THE IMPOSITION OF IMPORT RESTRICTIONS IS
SATISFACTORY.
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12. I CAN
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