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4. THIS WAS REGRETTABLY A VERY INSUBSTANTIAL MEETING. HAMMOND WAS SO ANXIOUS TO KEEP OFF ANYTHING REMOTELY POLITICAL AS
TO MISS OBVIOUS CHANCES OF EXPRESSING CONCERN AS A BANKER ABOUT THE FUTURE AND EDUCATING LIAO IN THE ESSENTIALS OF HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY. HAMMOND AND HIS PARTY ATTACHED GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE FACT THAT LIAO DID NOT MENTION SOVEREIGNTY. THINK THIS HAS NO SIGNIFICANCE WHATEVER, AND IS TO BE EXPLAINED BY THE DELIBERATELYDAWR ESTRICTED FRAMEWORK OF THE MEETING, HAMMOND SPOKE AS A VISITING BANKER AND LIAO WAS HAPPY TO MEET HIM ON THAT GROUND, TO TALK ONLY OF VERY RECENT PRESSURE ON THE HONG KONG DOLLAR AND ADD KIND WORDS ABOUT THE HKSB CONTINUING TO EXIST WHATEVER CHANGES TOOK PLACE
IN THE FUTURE.
5. LIAO IS, APPRENTLY, READY TO SEE HAMMOND AGAIN AND HAMMOND WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE. THERE WOULD BE MERIT IN THIS IF, BUT ONLY IF, NEXT TIME HAMMOND OR SANDBERG CAN BE PERSUADED TO SAY SOMETHING WORTHWHILE. A MEETING OF YESTERDAY'S KIND IS NOT ONLY WASTED BUT POSITIVELY DAMAGING SINCE IT ALLOWS THE CHINESE TO CLAIM AND PERHAPS EVEN BELIVE THAT THE LEADING HONG KONG BANK IS RELAXED ABOUT THE FUTURE.
THIS SERIOUSLY UNDERMINES OUR EFFORTS TO PERSUADE THEM THAT THEIR POLICY AND THE WAY THEY ARE PURSUING IT IS DAMAGING TO
HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY.
CRADOCK
FUTURE OF HONG KÒNG
LIMITED
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