TNAG-1716-FCO40-2396-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 108

SECRET

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 15010OZ PEKING

TELNO 40

OF 141455Z JANUARY 88

INFO DESKBY 15010OZ HONG KONG

SECRET

나나

146644

MDHOAN 6605

10 JAN 1988

O DIST

YOUR TELNO 74 AND HONG KONG TELNOS 484 GOVERNMENT: WHITE PAPER

1.

REPRESENTATIVE

FIRST TUR: WE AGREE THAT IT WOULD FURTHER UNQUOTE TO BE DELETED FROM PARA 3

SECOND TUR:

BE SAFER FOR QUOTE

OF THE SPEAKING NOTE.

(A)

WE AGREE THAT THE REFERENCE

SHOULD BE DELETED

FROM PARA 2 OF THE SPEAKING NOTE. (B)

WE UNDERSTAND HONG KONG'S CONCERN THAT WE SHOULD NOT GIVE THE CHINESE A DEADLINE IN A WAY WHICH SUGGESTS WE NEED THEIR APPROVAL. WE ARE CONTENT WITH HONG KONG'S SUGGESTION (LAST SENTENCE OF SECOND TUR) FOR HANDLING THIS POINT. BUT WE ARE CONCERNED THAT WE SHOULD NOT LEAVE OURSELVES TOO TIGHT A TIMETABLE FOR DEALING WITH ANY CHINESE COME-BACK. THEREFORE PREFER IT IF YOU COULD INDICATE A SLIGHTLY DEADLINE, BY SAYING QUOTE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WILL BE FINALISING THE PRINTED VERSION OF THE WHITE PAPER IN THE LAST WEEK OF JANUARY UNQUOTE.

WE WOULD

EARLIER

SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION FROM HONG KONG BY TELEPHONE THAT THEY ARE CONTENT WITH PARA 1 AND 2(B) ABOVE, PLEASE NOW SEEK AN EARLY CALL ON KE ZAISHUO TO HAND OVER THE PAPER WE HAVE PREPARED FOR THE CHINESE. YOU SHOULD USE THE SPEAKING NOTE IN HONG KONG TELNO 171 AS AMENDED BY THIS TELEGRAM AND OUR TELNOS 108 AND 109.

3

HOWE

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DISTRIBUTION

49

MAIN

48

HONG KONG AGREEMENT RESTRICTED

LIMITED

HKD

PUSD

PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

PS/MR EGGAR

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THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN

CLOSED UNDER

FOI EXEMPTION NO.

* 27 (1).