TNAG-1037-FCO40-1287-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 90

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

A

you. Sen

السلسة

P.26.

NB nd mut

Yes

PARAGRAPH 15

SECRET

THE LAST SENTENCE IS AN ILLUSTRATION RATHER THAN A SINE QUA

NON.

OTHER CHINESE ACTIONS COULD HAVE THE SAME PRACTICAL AND

SYMBOLIC EFFECT.

PARAGRAPHS 21-22

THE PROBLEMS FOR US OF REMAINING IN HONG KONG COULD BE SET

OUT WITH MORE CLARITY UNDER THE FOLLOWING FOUR HEADS: (A) ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG

(B) HONG KONG /UNITED KINGDOM FRICTIONS

(C) UNITED KINGDOM PARLIAMENTARY AND PUBLIC OPINION

(D) INTERNATIONAL PROBLEMS (FRICTION WITH CHINA, DEFENCE OBLIGATIONS, INTERNATIONAL OPINION ETC).

PARAGRAPH 26

THERE

THE REFERENCE TO THE EARLY 1990S IS PERHAPS MISLEADING.

ARE TOO MANY VARIABLES AFFECTING MANIPULATION OF THE

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE **SMALL QUESTION AND THE ''BIG

QUESTION''. UNLESS THE MEDIUM TERM DISPOSITIONS ARE WATER- TIGHT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT COULD SURELY FIND IT NECESSARY, FOR REASONS OF CONFIDENCE, TO SORT OUT THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE LONG TERM AT AN EARLIER DATE. MOREOVER THEIR INTERNAL

CONSIDERATION OF THE PROBLEM SHOULD ALREADY HAVE ACQUIRED A

CERTAIN MOMENTUM.

PARAGRAPH 28

SUB-P AR AGRPAH (A)

I AGREE WITH THE GOVERNOR'S COMMENT. STRIKE ME AS UNDERSTATING THE VERY STRONG MORAL AND POLITICAL PRESSURES TO WHICH WE SHOULD BE SUBJECTED BY THE INHABITANTS OF THE COLONY AND THE GOVERNMENTS OF NEIGHBOURING TERRITORIES

IN WHICH THEY MIGHT TAKE REFUGE.

ANNEX C

?

Greciate

لحسبه

At leases wall

dim to bened

I AGREE WITH THE GOVERNOR THAT OPTION (B) ALTHOUGH ADMITTEDLY HARD TO ATTAIN, IS CONSIDERABLY MORE ATTRACTIVE THAN THE PAPER MAKES IT SOUND. IN PRACTICE OPTION (C) WOULD SCARECELY BE

THE CHINESE WOULD FACE CRITICISM ON THE SAME GROUNDS AS IN OPTION (B) BUT WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO

EASIER THAN B).

DEFEND THEMSELVES PUBLICLY. IT WOULD MOREOVER BE DIFFIUCLT TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE IN THE COLONY IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY

CLEAR CHINESE STATEMENT OF INTENT.

CRADOCK

TLD

HD| WKYGD HD/FED

SIRE YOUDE

MR DONALD

2 SECRET

? varriten os (e) i

5 titte & Yaid.

Page 90Page 91

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