CONFIDENTIAL
4.
I THANKED NIE FOR HIS PROPOSALS AND UNDERTOOK TO REPORT AND GIVE A CONSIDERED REPLY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
COMMENT.
5.
NIE WAS AMIABLE AND RELAXED. HE REFERRED SEVERAL TIMES TO THE GOOD RELATIONS WHICH EXISTED BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA AND BETWEEN CHINA AND HONG KONG, AND SPOKE OF MAKING A CONTRIBUTION TO THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE RELATIONS. THOUGH HE DID NOT
USE THE WORD ''EXPEDITE'' HE GAVE THE CLEAR IMPRESSION THAT HE WISHED TO SEE THE VISA OFFICE OPENED SOON. ''THE OUTSTANDING POINTS SHOULD NOT PREVENT US FROM GOING AHREAD''. IN SAYING THAT THAT THE VISA OFFICE WAS A NEW THING FOR BOTH SIDES, NIE ALSO SAID HE THOUGHT IT IMPROBABLE THAT ANYONE ELSE WOULD WISH TO FOLLOW SUIT AND THAT THERE-FORE THE PROBLEM OF PRECEDENT SHOULD NOT BE A MAJOR ONE.
6. THE CHINESE MEMORANDUM SEEMS TO BE A CONSTRUCTIVE ATTEMPT TO FIND A WAY AROUND THE IMPASSE. IT GIVE BOTH SIDES A FACE- SAVING FORMULA TO GET THE OFFICE ESTABLISHED. THE CHINESE ''TAKE NOTE** OF THE CAVEATS IN PARAGRAPHS 2, 3 AND 4 OF OUR MEMORANDUM, AND NIE AGREED (MY PARA 3) THAT OUR MEMORANDUM WOULD BE FOLLOWED PENDING A FUTURE FINAL AGREEMENT. THESE ARE IMPORTANT CONCESSIONS FROM THE CHINESE.
7. I PREFER THE SINGLE MEMORANDUM FORMAT TO THAT OF MEMORANDUM PLUS NOTE, ALTHOUGH I SHOULD PREFER TO SEE THE WHOLE OF SECTION 11 OF THE SECOND CHINESE ALTERNATIVE DRAFT INCORPORATED IF POSSIBLE INTO THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF SECTION 111 IN THE FIRST ALTERNATIVE DRAFT. THIS WOULD AMOUNT TO A COMPLETE CHINESE AGREEMENT TO OUR MEMORANDUM PENDING FURTHER DISCUSSIONS.
8. GRATEFUL FOR COMMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS.
ATKINSON
[THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED]
LIMITED
HK & GD
FED
MR DONALD
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.