Redacted under FOI. Exemption S 27(1):
20
OCMIAN 3421
SECRET
DD 300100Z HOKON
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
291600Z JUN
GRS 486
SECRET
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 3001002 HONG KONG
TELNO 1749
OF 291600Z JUNE 87
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
SECRET
63421
1
1 Hub !!
OUR TELNO 1723: STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT: LONGER TERM ISSUES
1. WE HAVE NOW CONSIDERED CAREFULLY THE PAPERS IN YOUR TELNOS 2487-90 AND WE HAVE IN PREPARATION A SERIES OF TELEGRAMS OF COMMENT. THEY ARE LONG AND WE ARE AFRAID THAT THEY WILL NOT (NOT) BE FINALISED TONIGHT. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK WHICH YOU HAVE PUT INTO YOUR DRAFTS. WE ARE IN BROAD AGREEMENT WITH YOUR APPROACH, SUBJECT TO NUMEROUS POINTS OF DETAIL AND DRAFTING. YOU MAY FIND IT HELPFUL, IN ADVANCE OF THE EXCO DISCUSSION TOMORROW, TO HAVE A FEW PRELIMINARY GENERAL COMMENTS:
A) WE FEEL IT IS SOMETHING OF A WEAKNESS THAT THE PAPERS SET OUT
A MODEL FOR THE FUTURE WITHOUT DISCUSSING IN ANY DETAIL HOW THE TRANSITION IS TO BE NEGOTIATED OR CONVERGENCE ACHIEVED. THE EFFECT IS
-
TO WEAKEN THE LOCUS FOR OUR CONTRIBUTION OR FOR SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION
TO FAIL TO TACKLE A NUMBER OF DIFFICULT PRACTICAL ISSUES WHICH WILL NEED TO BE HANDLED BETWEEN BRITISH AND CHINESE
SECRET
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