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5. All these legal points are of course quite apart from the major political implications of any early agreement with the Chinese over Hong Kong. We need to get Mr Cradock's comments before considering this. It is nonetheless interesting that the Governor is quite prepared to consider the possibility of a political price in return for a more satisfactory Chinese position on New Territories Leases. Commercial pressure on this issue is still relatively restrained but is likely to increase particularly from 1982 when the normal 15-year mortgage term limit will become relevant.
Бир
R D Clift
11 March 1980
Hong Kong and General Department
cc Mr Rushford (Legal Advisers)
Mr McLaren (FED)
This should be read together with to. Rushford's
comments (attached)
He only
(a)
is
¡
Com
4 aboue.
para. 4
of the four points
see that might be worth exploring is
Quite obviously (a) and (d)
unthinkable. But even (a)
If the Chinese objected to the
pretting inext mass. concept of indefinite extensions of leases,
OLA
political grounds, what is
form extension for 25 yours term
then I rea
remains
!
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what they
see
attractive to them in
The political problem (for
Day
19/
20/i.i
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