TNAG-1252-FCO40-1585-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 164

SECRET

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UK EYES 'A'

As the Prime Minister is aware, we are already sharing with the Australians (and the Americans) intelligence material about Chinese intentions towards Hong Kong. Sir Antony Duff will be in Canberra during the week before Zhao's visit and will be seeing senior intelligence officials to keep this channel open. In addition we suggest that it would be helpful if Sir John Mason were authorised to brief the appropriate top officials (Sir G Yeend and Messrs Henderson and Cook) and, if possible, the new Foreign Minister, Mr Hayden, on the lines described above. This would of course need to be done in the strictest possible confidence as was the case when the previous Australian Administration was briefed.

I should be grateful to know whether the Prime Minister agrees with this proposal.

A J Coles Esq

10 Downing Street

Youn

(J E Holmes),

Ich Hones

سلام

Private Secretary

SECRET UK EYES 'A'

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