TNAG-1019-FCO40-1269-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1981 — Page 30

CONFIDENTIAL

2. THE MFA APPEAR TO BE DEVELOPING AN UNWELCOME TENDENCY TO MAKE REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT MINOR HONG KONG PROBLEMS AND TO TAKE A MORE DOCTRINAIRE LINE THAN THE NCNA. ANYTHING WHICH CAN BE DONE TO KEEP SUCH ISSUES TO THE NCNA/PA NET WOULD BE HELPFUL. SUBJECT TO YOUR AGREEMENT WE SUGGEST THAT PEKING DRAW ON PARA 1 TO REPLY TO THE MFA LOW KEY AND PREFERABLY AS PART OF ANOTHER EXCHANGE. THEY MIGHT ADD THAT THE MATTERS IN QUESTION HAVE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED BETWEEN THE NCNA AND PA IN HONG KONG WHERE BOTH SIDES ARE MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE DETAILS INVOLVED.

CATER

LIMITED

HK2GD FED

MRDONALD

THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED

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