SECRET
ACCEPTANCE BY US OF THIS POINT COULD BE PRESENTED AS A MAJOR MOVE TOWARDS THE CHINESE PROPOSAL OF JOINT SELECTION OF THE ENTIRE FIRST GOVERNMENT OF THE SAR SEMICOLON
(C) TO COUNTER THE CHINESE ARGUMENT THAT WE WERE ABDICATING RESPONSIBILITY, EXPLICITLY TO RESERVE TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE, THROUGH THE GOVERNOR, POWERS IN THE FIELDS OF DEFENCE, INTERNAL SECURITY AND THE BULK OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. THE FORMULA PROPOSED BY THE GOVERNOR IN PEKING TELNO 99 TO HONG KONG (REPTED TO YOU WOULD, IN MY VIEW, FIT THE BILL.
5. IF SOMETHING ON THE ABOVE LINES WERE TO BE AGREED, THERE IS NEXT THE QUESTION OF PRESENTATION. ONE OPTION (WHICH I ASSUME TO BE STILL OPEN) WOULD BE TO PUBLISH OUR PROPOSAL ON THE GOVERNOR IN THE GREEN PAPER AND THEN, HOPEFULLY WITH STRONG POPULAR BACKING FROM HONG KONG, TO GO TO THE CHINESE . THE ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE TO LEAVE THE SECTION ON THE GOVERNOR OUT OF THE GREEN PAPER AND TO TRY TO SECURE CHINESE AGREEMENT TO OUR PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS BEFORE ANYTHING WAS SAID IN PUBLIC. BOTH HAVE DISADVANTAGES UNDER THE FIRST OPTION, THERE COULD BE A STRONG NEGATIVE CHINESE REACTION BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO DISCUSS OUR PROPOSALS WITH THEM. UNDER THE SECOND, WE SHOULD LACK HONG KONG POPULAR SUPPORT. ON BALANCE, I BELIEVE THAT THE RISKS IN OUR ADOPTING THE SECOND COURSE ARE LESS AND THAT WE SHOULD ATTEMPT TO SECURE CHINESE AGREEMENT BEFORE GOING PUBLIC.
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6. THE HANDLING WOULD BE VERY DELICATE. WE SHOULD NEED TO PUT MAXIMUM WEIGHT BEHIND OUR PROPOSALS. IT WOULD BE WRONG, I THINK, TO MAKE THEM IN THE FORMAL TALKS. A MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE OR PERSONAL DISCUSSION BETWEEN HIM AND WU XUEQIAN SEEM TO ME THE MOST PROMISING METHODS. THE LATTER WOULD BE PREFERABLE BUT, TIMING BEING TIGHT AND THESE ISSUES BEING CENTRAL TO PROGRESS, WOULD ONLY BE POSSIBLE IF THE SECRETARY OF STATE ENVISAGES A FURTHER VISIT IN JULY.
EVANS
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
SIR W HARDING
-2-
COPIES TO:- SIR P CRADOCK MR BURROWS
SECRET
LEGAL ADVISER
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