TNAG-0848-FCO40-1058-Future-of-Hong-Kong-New-Territories-leases-1979 — Page 146

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HICK OHO!!

SECRET

HER

3 /الصلاة

SECRET

FM HONG KONG 120844Z FEB 79

TO PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELNO.253 OF 12 FEBRUARY,

AND TO PRIORITY PEKING.

F.C.O TELNOS. 125 (LAST TWO SENTENCES) AND 133 :

HANDLING OF LEASES PROBLEM DURING VISIT TO PEKING.

1. WHAT FOLLOWS IS VERY MUCH SUBJECT TO CRADOCK'S ADVICE, AND IN ANY CASE WE WILL HAVE TO PLAY MUCH BY EAR. HOWEVER MY SUGGESTED

SCENARIO IS AS FOLLOWS:

2. WHILE WE SHOULD NOT START THIS EXERCISE, HOWEVER TENTATIVELY, WITHOUT MINISTERIAL AGREEMENT WITH THE ORDER-IN-COUNCIL TOWARDS WHICH WE ARE WORKING, I DO NOT CONTEMPLATE THE CHINESE BEING SHOWN A TEXT SO EARLY IN THE GAME. THIS MAY HAVE TO BE PLAYED OUT OVER A PERIOD OF MONTHS, BECAUSE IT IS ESSENTIAL TO KEEP OUR APPROACH IN A LOW KEY AND NOT TO APPEAR TO BE EITHER ASKING A FAVOUR OR ATTEMPTING TO BOUNCE THEM. THEY MUST HAVE TIME. TO REALISE IT IS AS MUCH TO THEIR ADVANTAGE AS OURS.

3. MOREOVER SINCE EVENTUALLY THE FORCE OF EVENTS IS LIKELY TO PROVE TO THE CHINESE THE NECESSITY FOR OUR PROPOSED ACTION, WE HAVE NO REASON TO RISK THE COMPLICATIONS OF AN INITIAL SET-BACK

THROUGH OVER-HASTY OR OVER-URCENT PRESENTATION..

SECRET

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