TNAG-1439-FCO40-1923-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 60

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10. THIS LEVEL WOULD BE THE HARDEST TO ARRANGE AND CONTROL. WHAT

I THINK WE SHOULD AIM FOR IS A FAIRLY FREE FLOW OF IDEAS, EXPLICITLY WITHOUT COMMITMENT ON EITHER SIDE, WITH THE TRIPLE PURPOSE ON OUR SIDE OF :-

(A) MAXIMISING THE PROPENSITY OF THE CHINESE TO ACCEPT THE OUTCOME OF THE 1987 REVIEW.

(B) MAXIMISING THEIR PROPENSITY TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THIS OUTCOME IN DRAFTING THE BASIC LAW, AND

(C) GAINING A CLEAR INSIGHT INTO THE DIRECTION WHICH THE DRAFTING PROCESS OF THE BASIC LAW WAS LIKELY TO TAKE.

11. IN HONG KONG LAST WEEK I SUGGESTED THAT THE THREE PAPERS DESTINED FOR THE CHINESE MIGHT BE GIVEN TO THEM IN ADVANCE OF ANY MEETING BETWEEN THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND WU. ON REFLECTION, HOWEVER, THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE A MISTAKE. I BELIEVE THAT OUR CHANCES OF GETTING THE EXERCISE OFF TO A GOOD START WILL BE CONSIDERABLY IMPROVED IF WU IS THE FIRST SENIOR PERSON ON THE CHINESE SIDE TO GO THROUGH THE PAPERS. IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER IF HE WERE TO INDICATE HIS FIRST REACTIONS TO ZHOU NAN THAN VICE VERSA (I DOUBT WHETHER ZHOU WILL ACCOMPANY HIM ON HIS EUROPEAN TOUR, BUT I WILL CHECK).

EVANS

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HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED

COPIES TO:-

HD/HKD

MR ROBERTS

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

DEP HD/PUSD

HD/PUSD

RD (MR WALKER)

MR FIFOOT

MR WOOD

MR PEIRCE

MR MALLABY

NEWS DEPT

LEGAL ADVISERS

LEGAL ADVISERS

ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFIC

CABINET OFFICE

MR DRC CHRISTOPHER CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREET

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/MR RENTON

PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING

SIR J FREELAND

MR WILSON MR CROWLEY

PUSD

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