TNAG-1597-FCO40-2182-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1987 — Page 153

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OCMIAN 0842

SECRET

CO PEKIN

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

151730Z JAN

GRS 1460

H K K a 2

LUI REGISTRY

14 JAN 1307

SECRET

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 119

OF 151730Z JANUARY 87

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

RY

akken

10842

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16

See/18

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PERSONAL FOR ACTING GOVERNOR FROM HUM, HKD

MY 2 IPTS: 1987 REVIEW

FOLLOWING IS CONTINUATION OF REVISED TEXT OF DRAFT PAPER.

BEGINS

15. LIMITED DELAY, AS DESCRIBED IN PARA 13 ABOVE, WOULD

BRING US SOME TACTICAL ADVANTAGE. IT MAY PERMIT A BETTER

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE REVIEW PROCESS AND THE DRAFTING OF THE

BASIC LAW. CHINESE SUSPICIONS WOULD NOT BE GREATLY REDUCED, BUT

WE WOULD HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME TO EXPLAIN OUR INTENTIONS TO THE

CHINESE AND A SLIGHTLY GREATER MARGIN OF MANOEUVRE. PUBLICATION

OF THE GREEN PAPER AT THE END OF MAY WOULD MEET OUR TACTICAL

NEEDS, WHILE BEING CONSISTENT WITH ALL EARLIER PUBLIC STATEMENTS.

FOR PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER WE COULD BEST AIM FOR

FEBRUARY, TO GIVE US MAXIMUM MANOEUVRABILITY.

CONTACTS WITH THE CHINESE

16.

DURING 1987 IT WILL BE VITAL TO MAINTAIN THE CLOSEST

POSSIBLE DIALOGUE WITH THE CHINESE OVER THE ISSUES RAISED BY THE

REVIEW. IT WILL BE NECESSARY:

(I)

TO REASSURE THEM OF OUR INTENTIONS IN CONDUCTING THE

REVIEW:

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