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4. IT IS NATURALLY OF THE GREATEST IMPORTANCE FOR US THAT THE INITIAL INTERNATIONAL REACTION TO THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, WHEN IT IS PUBLISHED, SHOULD BE A POSITIVE ONE AND SHOULD FAVOURABLY INFLUENCE THE FORMATION OF OPINION IN HONG KONG ITSELF. IN STATEMENTS THAT CAN BE DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED TO BRITISH GOVERNMENT SOURCES, HOWEVER, WE SHALL STILL NEED TO EXERCISE SOME CAUTION. IF WE WERE TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE AGREEMENT WAS ALREADY EFFECTIVELY IN FLACE THIS WOULD BOTH DISTORT THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENT AND RISK GIVING THE IMPRESSION THAT THE TEST OF ACCEPTABILITY IN HONG KONG WAS AN IRRELEVANT OR ARTIFICIAL EXERCISE.
YOUNG
LIMITED HD/HKD HD/FED
SIR W HARDING
COPIES TO:- SIR P CRADOCK MR BURROWS MR FIFOOT
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