SECRET
FM FCO
SECRET
30A
TO DESKBY 22003OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 549
OF 212015Z MARCH 91
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
(26c
?
TOP COPY Q DIST?
(201
011653
MDHOAN 0266
Pa
HKB 182/2
YAR 991
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM BURNS, AUSS (PEKING: PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR)
(UKREP JLG HONG KONG: PERSONÁL FOR GALSWORTHY)
YOUR TELSNOS 885 AND 886: PADS : THE WAY FORWARD
LU PING ON 23 MARCH
MEETING WITH
1. THANK YOU FOR SHARING WITH US YOUR THINKING ON THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS IN THE PACKAGE YOU ARE TRYING TO CONSTRUCT WITH LU PING AND ON THE TACTICS YOU HAVE IN MIND. I AGREE THAT IF YOU CAN ACHIEVE AN AGREEMENT ON THIS BASIS THAT WILL BE A PRETTY SATISFACTORY OUTCOME. BUT I FEAR THAT IT MAY NOT BE ACHIEVABLE IN THE TIMESCALE WE HAVE SET OURSELVES AND THAT WE MAY HAVE TO THINK HARD NEXT WEEK ABOUT THE CHOICE TO BE MADE BETWEEN IDENTIFYING FURTHER CONCESSIONS AND SEEKING TO CALL THE CHINESE BLUFF. MEANWHILE GOOD LUCK AND MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU.
2.
THERE ARE SOME POINTS ON WHICH I SHOULD WELCOME CLARIFICATION.
3.
FIRST, ON PROCEDURE. WOULD I BE RIGHT TO ASSUME THAT YOU HOPE TO ENSHRINE THIS PACKAGE AGREEMENT IN AN EXCHANGE OF LETTERS BETWEEN YOU AND LU PING? IN THAT CASE, I PRESUME THAT THE OPTIMAL RESULT OF YOUR MEETING WOULD BE AGREEMENT ON A TEXT (OR THE ELEMENTS OF ONE) AD REFERENDUM TO CAPITALS. WE SHALL CERTAINLY WISH TO EXAMINE THE TEXTS, AND PARTICULARLY THE PHRASING OF YOUR ASSURANCE ON THE FISCAL RESERVES, BEFORE GIVING YOU THE GO-AHEAD. WE SHALL WANT TO BE SURE (IF NECESSARY, AFTER SEEKING LEGAL ADVICE HERE AND CONSULTING THE TREASURY) THAT WHAT IS SAID:~
(I)
(II)
PROVIDES NO LEGAL HOOK UPON WHICH THE CHINESE COULD CLAIM THAT HMG (OR HKG) WERE GUARANTEEING THE LEVEL OF THE RESERVES SEMI-COLON
PROVIDES THE CHINESE WITH NO OTHER JUSTIFICATION FOR ARGUING THAT, IF THE RESERVES FALL BELOW THE GIVEN LEVEL,
PAGE
SECRET
1
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.