TNAG-1172-FCO40-1453-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 125

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CONSIDER DISCUSSING THE FUTURE WITH THE CHINESE BEFORE THE

VISIT. (WE WILL THINK MORE ABOUT THIS).

5. THE SECRETARY OF STATE HOPES TO SEE MR HEATH SOON AND

PRIVATE OFFICE IS SOUNDING OUT NO 10 ABOUT WHEN AND HOW THE

PROBLEM MIGHT BE PUT TO THE PRIME MINISTER. THE IDEA OF A

MEETING INVOLVING BOTH OF YOU CERTAINLY APPEALS TO THE

SECRETARY OF STATE, AS DOES THE INVOLVEMENT AT SOME STAGE

OF SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE. WE SHALL KEEP YOU INFORMED, BUT

NO MEETING IS LIKELY IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.

6.

IN THE MEANTIME WE CONTINUE TO BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR

COMMENTS AND VIEWS WHICH, I CAN ASSURE YOU, HAVE BEEN CLEARLY

REPRESENTED TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE, NOTABLY DURING THE

LATEST ORAL BRIEFING.

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7. ON THE QUESTION OF BRIEFING HONG KONG BUSINESSMEN (PARAGRAPH 4 OF PEKING TELELETTER NO 788 OF 22 MAY), THIS

WAS NOT TOUCHED ON DURING THE LATEST BRIEFING BUT WE ARE ALL

CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT THAT THIS IS A SENSITIVE AREA.

NONETHELESS THE SECRETARY OF STATE BELIEVES IT CAN SERVE

A USEFUL PURPOSE

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PARAGRAPH 6 OF DONALD'S TELELETTER OF

17 MAY. THIS IS ESPECIALLY SO IN TRYING TO IMPRESS UPON THE

CHINESE THE IMPORTANCE OF HONG KONG CONTINUING TO HAVE A

CONVERTIBLE CURRENCY, A POINT BROUGHT OUT STRONGLY AT THE

SECRETARY OF STATE'S BRIEFING.

.8.

YOUR

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FINALLY, WE WERE INTERESTED TO READ OF YOUR RECENT

DISCUSSION WITH ZHANG WENJIN (PEKING TELNO 306). IF I MAY SAY

SO, I THOUGHT THE POINTS MADE IN YOUR PARAGRAPHS 5 AND 6 HIT

JUST THE RIGHT NOTE. WE WILL CERTAINLY BEAR HIM IN MIND

AS A USEFUL CHANNEL.

SIGNED R D CLIFT

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