796
MEETING WHETHER THE SUBJECT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED. WE MUST BE IN A
POSITION TO ANSWER WITH ALL HONESTY THAT IT HAS NOT, BECAUSE AN
AFFIRMATIVE ANSWER WILL IMMEDIATELY REKINDLE ALL THE OLD FEARS
ABOUT CHINESE INTERFERENCE, CONDOMINIUM'', ETC. THERE MAY BE SOME
AMBIVALENCE IN HONG KONG OPINION IN THIS REGARD (PARA 2 OF YOUR
TELNO 1753), AND IT OBVIOUSLY WILL NOT MAKE SENSE FOR US TO BUILD UP A SYSTEM IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IT WILL BE KNOCKED DOWN
BY THE CHINESE IN 1997. NEVERTHELESS HONG KONG PEOPLE ARE EXTREMELY
SENSITIVE ABOUT ANY SIGN OF THE CHINESE OVERTLY EXERTING THEIR
INFLUENCE ON THE PRE-1997 ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS A VERY NAPPOW
TIGHT ROPE ON WHICH BOTH SIDES MUST WALK: AND WE MUST NOT ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE RUSHED INTO ACCEPTING THEIR CLAIM TO A RIGHT TO BE
CONSULTED EVEN AT THIS EARLY STAGE: AND BEFORE WE KNOW THAT THEY
ARE WILLING TO RECIPROCATE ON THEIR IDEAS FOR THE BASIC LAW.
YOUDE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH D (FE)
D/HD PUSD
MR WILSON
-2 SECRET
COPIES TO:
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
:
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