TNAG-0943-FCO40-1162-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 15

PP HONG KONG

GRS 114

SECRET

FM FCU 25093OZ JUL 80

TU PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 602 OF 25 JULY

AND SAVING TO PEKING

SECRET

НККоно

29 JUL 1980

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

مل

PA

1/3

36922 RICELAY

AN 198

1

YOUR TELNO 930: LEASES

1. SO FAR AS CAN BE ASCERTAINED FROM A PRELIMINARY READING OF THE PAPERS ENCLOSED WITH WILSON'S LETTER OF 10 JULY, THERE ARE NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES EXCEPT ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER LEASES RUNNING BEYOND 1997 CAN BE GRANTED WITHOUT A FURTHER ORDER IN COUNCIL. WE APPRECIATE THAT THIS MAJOR QUESTION IS OPEN TO ARGUMENT. IT MAY BE THAT NO DEFINITE RULING COULD BE GIVEN, BUT

THIS WILL BE FOR CONSIDERATION AT MEETING ON 1 AUGUST.

2. THE ENCLOSURES OMITTED FROM CLIFT'S LETTER OF 16 JUNE WERE DESPATCHED IN THE CLASSIFIED BAG OF 22 JULY. THE OVERSIGHT IS REGRETTED.

see

CARRINGTON

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

FILES

HKGD

FLD

LEGAL ADVISERS (MR RUSHFORD)

1

SECRET

72

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