TNAG-1167-FCO40-1447-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 137

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10.

Another idea, suggested by the Ambassador in Peking

and the Governor in Hong Kong, is the use of influential

Hong Kong Chinese businessmen, to help bring home to the

PRC authorities in an informal way the reality of the

situation vis-à-vis the future, particularly from

a business viewpoint. This needs to be handled very

carefully. We must avoid giving the impression that we want

to negotiate through intermediaries.

However, reliable

Hong Kong business leaders, if properly briefed, could

help to explain the importance to Hong Kong's trade,

commercial and financial sectors of a continuation of

British administration, and to underline Hong Kong's deep

and intricate involvement in international treaties

and agreements which would be greatly affected by any

change in HMG's responsibility for external affairs.

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