TNAG-0849-FCO40-1059-Future-of-Hong-Kong-New-Territories-leases-1979 — Page 111

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5. MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE USE THE OPENING PROVIDED

BY THE AFP REPORT TO CLARIFY THE SITUATION WITH THE FOREIGN

MINISTRY AT WORKING LEVEL. 1 SUGGEST HEAD OF CHANCERY SPEAK TO CUI MINGTANG (ACTING HEAD OF WEST EUROPEAN DEPT).

CUI WAS PRESENT AT THE DENG INTERVIEW AND PROBABLY ALONE

AMONG THE CHINESE UNDERSTOOD THE POINT ON LEASES.

6.

"

SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS AND THOSE OF HONG KONG, GEORGE MIGHT REFER TO THE AFP REPORT, EXPLAIN THAT WE THINK WE DO

NOT HAVE PLENTY OF TIME SINCE THE GOVERNOR HAS IN MIND ONE

PARTICULAR LEGAL ADJUSTMENT WHICH WILL BE NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE. THIS HE EXPLAINED TO DENG, WHO HAD BEEN UNDER- STANDING. FURTHER EXPLANATION OF WHAT PRECISELY WE ARE

PLANNING TO DO MIGHT THEN BE GIVEN AND A FURTHER REMINDER

ADDED ABOUT THE NEED FOR GREAT CAUTION IN PUBLIC STATEMENTS.

7. SINCE THE ABOVE WAS DRAFTED, WESTERN EUROPEAN DEPARTMENT HAVE CONFIRMED THAT NO NOTE WAS TAKEN OF SONG'S REMARKS (THIS IS HARD TO BELIEVE), AND THEY THEREFORE CANNOT GIVE US A VERBATIM ACCOUNT OF THE EXCHANGES. THEY HOPE, HOWEVER, TO BE ABLE TO GIVE US AN EXPLANATION OF MR SONG'S REMARKS' IN DUE COURSE. THIS SUGGESTS THAT THEY NOW REALISE THE SIGNIFICANCE WE ATTACH TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ISSUE, AND CONFIRMS MY VIEW THAT WE SHOULD SPEAK AS IN PARAS. 5 AND

6 ABOVE.

CRADOCK

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FED

THIS IS A COPY

THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RETAINED

. IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER

SECTION 3 (4) OF THE

PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1958

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PS

PS/SIR I GILMOUR

PS/MR BLAKER

Psipus

SIR A DUFF

MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY

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