CONFIDENTIAL·
10. I CAN FORESEE TROUBLE WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, BUT
PROVIDED YOU AGREE WITH PARA.3, AND PROVIDED YOU WILL REJECT SUCH A PROPOSAL FOR THE TIME BEING IF MADE, I WOULD LIKE TO ACCEPT OUTRIGHT.
11. IF YOU AGREE, WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO REACH A CLEAR
UNDERSTANDING WITH NCNA OF THE REPLIES WHICH WE WOULD GIVE IF ASKED WHETHER THERE HAD BEEN A CHANGE IN THE STATUS OF NCNA OR
WHETHER CHINA NOW HAD, OR WAS ABOUT TO HAVE, AN OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN HONG KONG. THE SHORT ANSWER WOULD BE 'NO, BUT IN THE IMPROVED AND FRIENDLY STATE OF RELATIONS THE GOVERNOR'S ATTENDANCE WAS ENTIRELY NATURAL''
•
12. IF NCNA FOUND DIFFICULTY IN ACCEPTING SUCH A STATEMENT, THE
INVITATION COULD BE DECLINED ON GROUNDS WHICH WOULD AT LEAST MAKE
SENSE TO THEM.
13. I APOLOGISE FOR SO LONG A TELEGRAM ABOUT SO SUPERFICIALLY
SIMPLE A MATTER, BUT HERE IT WILL BE SEEN AS OF CONSIDERASLE SIGNIFICANCE. THE CHINESE HAVE GIVEN US VERY SHORT NOTICE AND
I MUST DISCUSS WITH EXCO ON TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER.
GRATEFUL FOR
ANY COMMENTS FROM PEKING AND A SUBSTANTIVE REPLY BY 0900 HONG KONG
TIME THAT DAY.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
FED
HKGD
PCD
PUSD
NEWS D
OID
PS
PS/LORD GOROWY ROBERTS
PS/PUS
MR.MURRAY
A
3 CONFIDENTIAL
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