TNAG-0848-FCO40-1058-Future-of-Hong-Kong-New-Territories-leases-1979 — Page 187

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BUT SUBJECT TO THAT, THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE MERIT IN NOT OVER-DRAMATISING THE ISSUE AND IN HANDLING IT BY A NORMAL EMBASSY APPROACK IN PEKING. BUT THE APPROACH CANNOT BE TOO

AND, TENTATIVE IF THE CHINESE ARE TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. SINCE IT IS OF THE ESSENCE THAT ANY ORDER-IN-COUNCIL SHALL MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS TAKING THE NEC- ESSARY LEGISLATIVE STEPS, ANY APPROACHES IN PEKING WILL NEED TO BE MATCHED BY ACTION IN HONG KONG AND POSSIBLY LONDON!

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CRADOCK

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HKGD

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MR. CORTAZZI

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