CONFIDENTIAL
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REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN THE JOINT LIAISON
GROUP ESTABLISHED UNDER THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT,
5. IN VIEW OF ZHOU'S REMARKS REPORTED IN SECOND TUR, WE WOULD
NOT WISH TO PRESS FURTHER ON INCLUDING REFERENCES TO UN
REGISTRATION IN THE RATIFICATION CEREMONY SPEECHS. NEWS
DEPARTMENT HAVE, AS YOU KNOW, ALREADY TOLD ORIENTAL DAILY THAT WE
SHALL BE REGISTERING THE AGREEMENT. FURTHER PUBLICITY FOR THIS
COULD PRESUMABLY BE STIMULATED IN HONG KONG IF JUDGED USEFUL
6. AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE COMPOSITION OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP
ONLY ON THE DAY OF RATIFICATION WOULD BE LIKELY TO CAUSE US
SEVERE DIFFICULTIES. WHILE WE SHALL TRY TO HEDGE IN RESPONSE TO
ANY PRESS ENQUIRIES ON HO'S NATIONALITY STATUS UNTIL WE HAVE
RECEIVED WU'S RESPONSE (SEE OUR SEPARATE TELEGRAM ON PR LINE), WE
SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO DO SO THEREAFTER. (WE HAVE TODAY CONTACTED
HO, INFORMED HIM OF THE HOME SECRETARY'S DECISION AND ASKED HIM
NOT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ON HIS CITIZENSHIP STATUS UNTIL WE LET
HIM KNOW THAT WU HAS REPLIED TO US). IF IT BECOMES KNOWN (AS IT
ALMOST CERTAINLY WILL) THAT HO IS A BRITISH CITIZEN THE PRESSURE
ON US TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF OUR TEAM FOR THE JLG WILL BE
IRRESISTIBLE. WERE WE TO TRY TO RESIST THERE WOULD BE
WIDESPREAD, MISLEADING AND DAMAGING SPECULATION IN THE PRESS,
WHICH WE SHOULD BE UNABLE TO NIP IN THE BUD. WHEN ZHOU GIVES YOU
WU'S RESPONSE YOU SHOULD THEREFORE EXPLAIN OUR DIFFICULTIES TO
HIM AND SAY THAT WE THINK IT ESSENTIAL TO ANNOUNCE THE MEMBERS OF
OUR TEAM VERY SHORTLY. WE THINK THE RIGHT TIME TO DO THIS IS AT
THE MOMENT WHEN WE ANNOUNCE THE DATE OF RATIFICATION, WHEN THE PRESS WILL CONCLUDE THAT ANY DIFFICULTIES OVER THE JOINT LIAISON
GROUP HAVE BEEN SOLVED. IT IS OF COURSE FOR THE CHINESE TO
DECIDE HOW AND WHEN TO ANNOUNCE THEIR TEAM. WE SHOULD PREFER COORDINATED ANNOUNCEMENTS, BUT WE DO NOT WISH TO DELAY OUR OWN BEYOND THE TIME OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DATE OF RATIFICATION.
7. WE SHALL NEED TO ANNOUNCE THE COMPOSITION OF OUR TEAM ON THE LAND COMMISSION AT THE SAME TIME. IF WE DID NOT THERE WOULD BE
SPECULATION THAT THERE WAS A HITCH ON THIS. WHEN YOU SEE ZHOU THEREFORE YOU SHOULD CONFIRM THAT THERE ARE NO LONGER ANY OBJECTIONS ON THE CHINESE SIDE TO CHAN'S INCLUSION.
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