TNAG-1308-FCO40-1665-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 102

CONFIDENTIAL

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OO HONG KONG

GRS 127

SECRET

FM FCO 071352Z MARCH 84

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 411 OF 7 MARCH

FOR DAVIES FROM CLIFT

(62) (163)

YOUR TELNOS 607 AND 606?

+KK040!

RECEIVED IN

4284

KaŃ 1784

REGISTRY Action Taker

1653 JMB

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: MR WALTER SULKE

1. THE DRAFT REPLY AS SENT WAS SEEN AND APPROVED BY THE

SECRETARY OF STATE. THE LETTER HAS BEEN DESPATCHED AND I AM AFRAID

IT IS NOW TOO LATE TO STOP IT WITHOUT UNACCEPTABLE DELAY.

2.

I REALISE THE SENSITIVITY OF REFERENCES TO A REFERENDUM, HOWEVER

THE MENTION IN THIS CASE IS SIMPLY TO MR SULKE'S OWN PROPOSAL,

CONTAINED IN HIS LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER, AND THE SUBSEQUENT

WORDING SHOULD ENABLE US TO GIVE THE LIE TO ANY SUGGESTIONS THAT

WE WERE EXPRESSING EVEN IMPLIED ENDORSEMENT OF A REFERENDUM.

HOWE

NNNN

DIST

LIMITED

HD/HKD

MR WILSON

1

CONFIDENTIAL

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