TNAG-1411-FCO40-1887-Future-of-Hong-Kong--Hong-Kong-a-Change-of-Destiny---despatc-1985 — Page 28

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People's Republic in 1949.

with your

We also agree

generally

account of the negotiations with the Chinese.

Even if, in my Own view, it was not the most productive

way to begin the negotiations,

it was right and in

any

case inevitable that we should press at first for

continued British administration.

crisis

showed

that

ultimately

But the September

for

the

Chinese

reunification was always more important than preservation

of a

prosperous Hong Kong, as you recognise in paragraphs

7 and 19 of the despatch.

4.

You refer in your account of the negotiations

Chinese proposal for the creation

Group and the concern

This concern is well

think that we shall

Liaison Group

of

to the

the Joint Liaison

this proposal caused in Hong Kong.

understood here, even if we tend to

ourselves in the end need a Joint

The terms of

much as

as the Chinese do.

Annex 11 and the reasonably satisfactory outcome of the

first JLG meeting will I hope be serving to dispel some

of the worries that the Group will interfere in the

administration of Hong Kong, although I recognise that

such worries will never fully be laid to rest.

certainly hope that we will now be able to use the Group

constructively in the coming 12 years both to educate the

Chinese and to make the

as possible.

transfer of sovereignty

I

as smooth

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