SECRET
10. WE SUGGEST OMIT PARA 15 AS SUCH. THE 1972 DECISION WAS
RELATED TO CHINA'S ASSERTION THAT HONG KONG IS PART OF CHINA AND
NOT A COLONY WITH A RIGHT TO SELF DETERMINATION AND INDEPENDENCE.
(SEE M.I.F.T. PARA 3(B)).
11. IN PARA 14, ADD THE WORDS 'SHOULD THEY WISH TO DO SO AT THE
END OF THE PENULTIMATE SENTENCE.
12. THE ANNEX REFERRED TO IN PARA 16 WILL INEVITABLY BE SPECULATIVE
AND INCONCLUSIVE. IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE WHAT PURPOSE IT WILL SERVE.
WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHATEVER REGIME IS IN POWER. (SEE MR. ATKINS
PRESS CONFERENCE IN HK TELNO 22).
13. IN PARA 17 REPLACE FIFTH SENTENCE BY THE FOLLOWING 'BUT IT
IS NOT CLEAR HOW FAR THEY CAN ADMIT THAT THE CONFIDENCE OF INVESTORS
WHICH IS THE ESSENTIAL DETERMINANT OF PROSPERITY AND STABILITY,
DEPENDS ON CONTINUED BRITISH ADMINISTRATION. WITHOUT BRITISH
ADMINISTRATION THE EXISTING SYSTEM OF LAW AND THE CONVERTIBILITY
OF THE CURRENCY WOULD BE AT RISK. OMIT THE PENULTIMATE AND THE
IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING SENTENCES BEGINNING THE CHINESE
14. IN PARA 18 FOR ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS OF THE PRESENT STYLE OF
HONG KONG ADMINISTRATION SUBSTITUTE BRITISH ADMINISTRATION
AND AUTHORITY AND USE THIS PHRASE THROUGHOUT THE PAPER (E.G. IN
PARA 19D(111), PARA 21 INSTEAD OF ''PRESENT SYSTEM OF BRITISH
ADMINISTRATION AND PARA 25 PRESENT TYPE OF BRITISH
ADMINISTRATION''
.
15. ALSO ON PARA 18, MOST INVESTMENT IN HONG KONG IS GENERATED
INTERNALLY. IF CONFIDENCE FAILS ALL INVESTMENT WILL TRY TO SEEK A
HOME ELSEWHERE.
16. PARA 19 SHOULD END AFTER WELL-BEING OF ITS PEOPLE'' WITH
THE ADDITION OF AND THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF HONG KONG AS A GOING
CONCERN TO CHINA''. IF THE PRC PROCRASTINATE THEIR GOLDEN GOOSE''
WILL DIE. THE REST OF THE PARA (DOWN TO THESE OPTIONS'') IS NOT
CLEAR. WHAT IS MEANT BY FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE' AND EVOLUTION
''STEP BY STEP IN A PRAGMATIG WAY'' AND DURING WHAT TIMESCALE?
1
I SUGGEST OMIT AND LEAD STRAIGHT INTO THE NEW SECTION (SEE M.1.F.T.
PARA 5).
17. I PRESUME THAT THE OPTION IN 19(A) MEANS ATTEMPTING TO SIT TIGHT
UNTIL 1997?
18. IS OPTION 19(C) SIMPLY A REFERENCE TO THE SOLUTION WHICH WAS
PROPOSED FOR THE TEMPORARY ALLEVIATION OF THE PROBLEM OF THE LOCAL
LEASES? IF SO IT IS OF NO HELP AS REGARDS THE LARGER ISSUE OF THE
FUTURE OF THE TERRITORY: AND IT WAS FORMALLY PROPOSED TO THE
CHINESE BY HMA NOT THE GOVERNOR.
SECRET
/19
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.