TNAG-1437-FCO40-1921-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 35

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OT COPY

CONFIDENTIAL

11997 1

OCMIAN 1997

CONFIDENTIAL

OO HOKON

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

301845Z JAN

GRS 303

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK Oil

RECEIVES

03 FEB 1986

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 207

OF 301845Z JANUARY 86

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

49

PA

JINON

1 AB 312

YOUR TELNO 312: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG: PRESS

LEAKS

1.

WE WERE UNAWARE OF THIS LEAK UNTIL WE RECEIVED YOUR PRESS

~T ROUNDUP IN HONG KONG TELNO 297 AND TUR THIS MORNING. (SCMP TAKES

FIVE TO SIX DAYS TO REACH US.) IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO

HAVE HAD AN EARLIER REPORT.

2.

WE ARE VERY DISTURBED BY THE LEAK, AND HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DISCOVER THE SOURCE OF IT. WE ASSUME YOU WILL REMIND MEMBERS OF EXCO AT THE NEXT MEETING OF THE NEED TO PRESERVE THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF EXCO DOCUMENTS AND DISCUSSIONS.

3.

WE BELIEVE THAT THESE STORIES COULD BE VERY DAMAGING VIS A VIS THE CHINESE, WHO MAY WELL CONCLUDE THAT WE ARE NOT BEING FRANK WITH THEM WHEN WE SAY THAT WE HAVE AS YET NO PRECONCEIVED IDEAS ABOUT THE 1987 REVIEW. IT IS NOT JUST A QUESTION OF ZHOU NAN. THE WHOLE CHINESE MACHINE IS LIKELY TO FEEL THAT THIS IS FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT WE HAVE SOME BLUEPRINT UNDER DISCUSSION.

4.

WE DO NOT WISH MISUNDERSTANDING AND SUSPICION TO GROW AGAIN TO THE PROPORTIONS REACHED IN NOVEMBER. YOU DO NOT SAY

WE THINK IN YOUR TELEGRAM WHY YOU ARE AGAINST PREEMPTIVE ACTION. THAT THERE COULD BE A CASE FOR SPEAKING INFORMALLY TO THE CHINESE NOW TO PREVENT MISINTERPRETATION. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE

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