3.
SECRET
172665 MDHOAN 7137
YOU WILL SEE THE RESULT IN HANSARD.
SOME OTHER SPEAKERS ALSO REFLECTED THE POSITION ACCURATELY.
BY THE END OF THE DEBATE, A GENUINE DIVISION OF VIEWS HAD EMERGED, ACROSS PARTY LINES, ON THE TIMING OF DIRECT ELECTIONS. IT WAS CLEAR THAT MARTIN LEE HAD MADE ON IMPACT, PARTICULARLY BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY ON LABOUR MPS. BUT LYDIA DUNN'S APPEARANCE HAD ALSO HELPED CONSIDERABLY. THE SECRETARY OF STATE WAS WELL PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
?
5. YOU WILL HAVE NOTED THAT IN WINDING UP THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAID THAT WE NEEDED QUOTE TO SECURE A TIMETABLE FOR PROGRESS,
WE BELIEVE THE EXPRESSED IN CLEAR AND UNEQUIVOCAL TERMS UNQUOTE.
BUT WE WILL WHITE PAPER AS DRAFTED IS CONSISTENT WITH THAT. CLEARLY NEED TO CONSIDER CAREFULLY HOW TO HANDLE THE PRESENTATION THERE OF THE DECISIONS IN THE WHITE PAPER AFTER ITS PUBLICATION. REMAINS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE CHINESE MAY ASK FOR CHANGES, BUT IF NOTHING ELSE THE DEBATE SHOULD HAVE HELPED TO CONVINCE PEKING OF THE DIFFICULTIES THAT ANY LAST MINUTE QUIBBLING WOULD CAUSE
US.
6.
INCIDENTALLY, SUCH WAS THE INTEREST GENERATED BY THE DEBATE THAT A NUMBER OF MPS WHO WANTED TO SPEAK WERE UNABLE TO DO SO. AT ONE POINT AFTER THE PROCEEDINGS WERE CUT OFF AT 7PM AFTER THE TWO WINDING-UP SPEECHES, IT SEEMED POSSIBLE THAT THE DEBATE MIGHT RESUME LATER THAT EVENING. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN (AND, AS A CONSEQUENCE THERE WAS NO VOTE ON THE MOTION).
HOWE
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