TNAG-0841-FCO40-1050-Visit-of-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-Chi-1979 — Page 298

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(D) THERE COULD BE ADVANTAGE IN OBTAINING SOME INITIAL CHINESE

REACTION BEFORE THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT. IF IT WERE ENCOURAGING HE COULD MAKE A LOW-KEY REFERENCE TO IT AS AN ISSUE HE HOPED COULD BE SETTLED BY THE AMBASSADOR AND LOCALLY IN HONG KONG SEMI-COLON IF DISCOURAGING, THERE WOULD AT LEAST BE AN OPTION ON APPLYING PRESSURE.

3. IF YOU DO NOT WANT ME TO RAISE THE LEASES, I DO NOT MYSELF

THINK THE TIMING MATTERS. I AGREE IT SHOULD BE WELL BEFORE MY

DEPARTURE, SAY IN MAY, BUT EARLY MARCH WELL CLEAR OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT, WOULD DO EQUALLY WELL.

MACLEHOSE

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HK & GD (6)

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PS

PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

PS/PUS

SIR A DUFF

MR. CORTAZZI

MR.MURRAY

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