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012075 MDHOA 0327
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SEEM TO ME THAT THE MOST PRODUCTIVE WAY FORWARD WOULD BE FOR A HIGH LEVEL TEAM TO VISIT LONDON FROM HONG KONG WITH THE AIM OF CLINCHING A MUTALLY ACCEPTABLE DEAL. BOTH SIDES WILL NEED TO HAVE SUFFICIENT FLEXIBILITY TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE, BUT, AS YOU WILL NO DOUBT BE AWARE, THE FIRM IF WHOLLY MISGUIDED IMPRESSION IN THE MOD IS THAT ON THIS ISSUE THERE HAS NOT YET BEEN ANY GENUINE ATTEMPT BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO NEGOTIATE WITH THEM. YOU WILL NEED TO REASSURE THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON THIS POINT AS WELL AS EXPLAIN THE DIFFICULTIES YOU FACE WITH LEGCO. YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT MOD OFFICIALS CLAIM TO US TO BELIEVE THAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE MORE ABOUT MONEY THAN PRINCIPLE. IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO PREPARE A NOTE FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON THE MAIN ELEMENTS IN AND COMPROMISES LYING BEHIND THE DCA.
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