TNAG-0937-FCO40-1156-Visits-of-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-th-1980 — Page 41

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LONG-TERM FUTURE

6.

A study on this subject was made in 1971 in a paper agreed

by the Defence and Oversea Policy Committee. It favoured

maintenance of the status quo and waiting until nearer 1997

to take informal soundings with the Chinese on options for

the future. In 1973, OD confirmed these conclusions and the

same broad line was taken in a Planning Paper in 1976. Review

now needed although no question of starting discussions with

Chinese yet.

Hong Kong and General Department 30 October 1980

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