CONFIDENTIAL
36753 - 1
4. THE MESSAGE FROM THE CLP NEGOTIATING TEAM IS THAT PEKING IS
SUPPORTING THE GUANGDONG SIDE, AND THAT SLK HAS INDICATED THAT HE
WILL EXPLORE HMG'S ATTITUDES DURING HIS VISIT TO UK FROM
26 JULY.
5.
ON:
BEFORE HIS ROUND OF VISITS, WE SHOULD WELCOME YOUR OWN ADVICE
(A) THE EXTENT TO WHICH PEKKING WILL INTERPRET WHAT
SLK AND HIS TEAM ARE SAYING AS EXPRESSING HMG'S VIEWS.
(B) HOW WE COULD BEST COMMUNICATE TO THE CHINESE THAT HMG IS NOT
COMMITTED BY WHAT THE HK OR UK REPRESENTATIVES ON THE CLP WORKING
PARTY ARE SAYING, AND GET OVER THE MESSAGE THAT HMG WILL CONSIDER
ITS POSITION ON RECEIVING THE WORKING GROUP'S REPORT.
(C) HOW WE COULD BEST IMPLY CLEARLY THAT HMG'S ATTITUDE WILL BE CRUCIALLY INFLUENCED BY THE VOLUME OF BUSINESS IN CONNECTION WITH
THE PROJECT GOING TO UK INDUSTRY.
6. TO BE EFFECTIVE, THIS MESSAGE TO PEKING WOULD HAVE TO TAKE PLACE BEFORE THE NEXT CLP/KEC ROUND OF MEETINGS LATER INAUGUST, BUT IN A FORM WHICH OES NT JEOPARDISE A FIRM PROPOSAL EMERGING FROM
THIS WORK.
7.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ALSO HAS A CLOSE INTEREST IN HOW THE
STUDY IS PURSUED, AND WE SHOULD WELCOME THEIR VIEWS ALSO ON HOW
HMG'S OPTIONS CAN BE KEPT OPEN WITHOUT UPSETTING PROGRESS ON THE
STUDIES OR EVENTUAL PROJECT. WE WOULD ALSO WELCOME THEIR VIEWS
ON THE POSSIBILITY OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTING TO THE
EQUITY OF THE PROPOSED OPERATING COMPANY AND THE IMPORTANCE TO
THEM GENERALLY OF THE PROJECT.
8.
WE APOLOGISE FOR THE URGENCY OF THIS REQUEST. IT FLOWS FROM
A MEETING OF DEPARTMENTS HERE ON 23 JULY. PLEASE RESPOND
DESKBY 280800Z.
CARRINGTON
FILES
HKGD
FED
JNU
TRED
MR PH MOBERLY
MR DONALD
A/D
GUANGDONG
CONFIDENTIAL
NUCLEAK.
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