TNAG-1357-FCO40-1798-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 172

CONFIDENTIAL

904

3.

MAINTAIN ITS PROSPERITY AND STABILITY.

WE HOPE THE

CHINESE WILL ACCEPT THE SINCERITY OF OUR MOTIVES.

WE AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO TRY TO GET JI TO

UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN HMG, HKG AND THE PEOPLE OF

HONG KONG, THOUGH WE SUSPECT THAT CHINESE THINKING IS

CONDITIONED NOT ONLY BY MISUNDERSTANDINGS OF THE POSITION BUT

ALSO BY DETERMINATION TO HOLD LONDON RESONSIBLE, AND NOT TO

ALLOW THIS RESPONSIBILITY TO BE DEVOLVED. IN THE PARTICULAR

CONTEXT OF THE 1987 REVIEW IT WILL BE HELPFUL IF YOU CAN GET

ACROSS THAT AT THE PRESENT STAGE NO IDEAS HAVE BEEN PUT TO

LONDON BY THOSE IN HONG KONG WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FORMULATING

POLICY ADVICE, WHICH WOULD SUBSEQUENTLY BE PUT TO MINISTERS IN

LONDON: IF THE CHINESE WISH TO TALK TO THOSE MOST CLOSELY

INVOLVED IN ORDER TO

PURSUE THE CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE WHICH WE WANT THEY WILL HAVE TO

DO SO IN HONG KONG. IT WILL OF COURSE BE IMPORTANT TO ADD THAT

ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY OF COURSE REMAINS IN LONDON AND MINISTERS

HAVE NO INTENTION OF SHIRKING IT.

HOWE

OCMIAN 0904

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

HONG KONG AGREEENT

3

CONFIDENTIAL

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