HMG WILL AGREE TO IT BEING ENDORSED IN THE PASSPORTS. AS REGARDS THE ETHNIC MINORITIES AND THE EX-SERVICEMEN IT WAS RIGHT THAT MINISTERS SHOULD MAKE CLEAR TO PARLIAMENT THE DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED IN THE
PROPOSALS WHICH HAVE BEEN MADE TO THEM. BUT AS THEY ALSO MADE CLEAR
THE IR MINDS ARE NOT CLOSED ON THESE ISSUES AND HAVING ENSURED THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE DIFFICULTIES THEY ARE
READY TO EXAMINE THE PROPOSALS FURTHER. THEY HAVE AGREED WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT THAT BEFORE THEY COME TO ANY CONCLUSIONS A TEAM OF OFFICIALS SHOULD VISIT LONDON TO PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE MINORITIES AND THE STATUS OF THE EX-SERVICEMEN CONCERNED AND
TO DISCUSS THESE MATTERS IN GREATER DETAIL.''
4. AT THE MOMENT THE IMPRESSION BEING CREATED IN HONG KONG, HOWEVER UNJUSTIFIABLY, IS THAT HMG IS DETERMINED TO FIND EVERY REASON FOR NOT CONCEDING WHAT THE UNOFFICIALS HAVE ASKED FOR. A STATEMENT ON
THE ABOVE LINES WOULD AT LEAST TAKE THE POSITIVE ELEMENTS IN THE
POSITION BEING TAKEN BY MINISTERS AWAY FROM THE BACKGROUND OF
LONG PAPAGRAPHS OF DIFFICULTIES AND OBJECTIONS AND ENABLE THEM TO BE PRESENTED AS ONE POSITIVE PACKAGE.
5. IT THE ABOVE IS ACCEPTABLE YOU WILL NO DOUBT WISH TO SEND A
MESSAGE TO MR RENTON TO REACH HONG KONG DESKBY 23010OZ WHICH WE CAN PASS TO HIM ON HIS ARRIVAL. THERE WILL BE LESS THAN TWO HOURS
BETWEEN HIS ARRIVAL (JUST AFTER LUNCH HONG KONG TIME) AND HIS FIRST
MEETING WHICH IS WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. (THE POLITICAL ADVISER
LEAVES EARLY TOMORROW MORNING FOR CANTON TO BRIEF MR RENTON.
6. AM SENDING A SEPARATE TELEGRAM ON THE SORT OF INFORMATION THE
TEAM WOULD INTEND TO BRING WITH IT.
YOUDE
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