TNAG-1332-FCO40-1762-Future-of-Hong-Kong-White-Paper-on-the-Joint-Declaration-1984 — Page 202

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3.

We have amended the White Paper to take account as far as

possible of the Secretary of State' S comment on the need to avoid any implication that his April announcement of the decision not to seek continued British administration after 1997, was a belated disclosure of a decision already taken (para lv of Mr Rickett's minute of 3 September). We have not highlighted the fact that the

gap was from November to April, but I do not think we can disguise

altogether the fact that there was a gap. I do not in fact think it

would be difficult to justify the gap.

al

A C Galsworthy

6 September 1984

Hong Kong Department

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