TNAG-1040-FCO40-1290-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 16

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E. PARA 5, FIRST SENTENCE. THIS CARRIES WITH IT THE IMPLICATION THAT THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST EXPRESSION OF OUR CONCERNS. I SUGGEST

WE REDRAFT TO READ ''IN ADVANCE OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT, SHALL NEED TO REMIND THE CHINESE YET AGAIN OF OUR CONCERN (THE LAST OCCASION AT MINISTERIAL LEVEL WAS IN APRIL DURING LORD CARRINGTON'S VISIT), THOUGH WITHOUT PUTTING FORWARD....''

F. PARA 5, SECOND SENTENCE. THIS I THINK IS TOO OPTIMISTIC AND IMPLIES THAT THE CHINESE HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE MATTER. SONG ZHIGUANG TOLD DAVID WILSON THAT THEY HAD NOT (WILSON'S LETTER OF 27 AUGUST TO MCLAREN). THIS MIGHT BE REDRAFTED QUOTE ..... AN OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND THE CHINESE OF THE PRESSING NATURE OF THIS ISSUE AND PUT THEM ON NOTICE THAT IT WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT THAT SOME PROGRESS IS

MADE UNQUOTE.

2. THE EFFECT OF THE PAPER, AMENDED ALONG THE LINES ABOVE, SHOULD BE, I THINK, TO LEAVE READERS IN DO DOUBT (A) WHY WE MUST THINK ABOUT THE ISSUE NOT AND (B) THAT THE CRUCIAL POINT IS SOVEREIGNTY.

CRADOCK

W

LIMITED

HK YGD

FED

MA DONALD

2.

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