CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
(50)
Redacted under FOI exemption section 27 (1)|
TO DESKBY 26003OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 381
OF 251915Z FEB 91
HKB 182 12
AND TO DESKBY 25210OZ WELLINGTON
TOP COPY Q DIST?
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
178
100544
MDHOAN 8556
Ра
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD
WELLINGTON: PLEASE PASS URGENTLY TO PS/LORD CAITHNESS
613 (11 (15)
YOUR TELNOS 580 TO 582: PADS : THIRD ROUND OF EXPERT TALKS
1. WE WERE MOST GRATEFUL FOR THIS HELPFUL ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT SITUATION AND THE WAY FORWARD.
3. THE ALTERNATIVE WAY FORWARD MAPPED OUT IN YOUR SECOND TUR SEEMS TO US TO BE A MORE REALISTIC BASIS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE CHINESE. WE THINK THAT THE OBJECTIVE SHOULD BE TO ENGAGE THEM IN DISCUSSION OF YOUR IDEAS (WHICH, NOTHWITHSTANDING THE CAREFUL RING FENCING YOU HAVE BUILT INTO THEM, ARE NONETHELESS AN IMPORTANT DEPARTURE FROM PRESENT PRACTICE AND CAN BE PRESENTED TO THE CHINESE AS VERY SIGNIFICANT CONCESSIONS).
4. HOWEVER, AS REGARDS TACTICS, WE HAVE SOME DOUBTS ABOUT THE ADVISABILITY OF SENDING AN IMMEDIATE MESSAGE FROM YOU TO LU PING. THIS MIGHT BE INTERPRETED AS A DISMISSIVE RESPONSE TO IDEAS WHICH, HOWEVER UNACCEPTABLE, HAVE CLEARLY BEEN WORKED OUT CAREFULLY. A FURTHER DIFFICULTY IS THAT IT WOULD BE READ AS AN ALMOST WHOLLY NEGATIVE RESPONSE, SINCE IT DOES NOT SET OUT WHAT YOU WOULD BE PREPARED TO OFFER. THE RISK IS THAT SUCH A MESSAGE COULD SEND THE WRONG SIGNAL TO LU PING AND COULD PROVOKE AN ADVERSE PUBLIC REACTION EVEN BEFORE YOU SEE HIM. HONG KONG
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