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1677
MDHIANO
WOULD WISH TO CONFIRM WITH CHINESE LEADERS WHEN IN PEKING ON TOP OF
THE AIRPORT AGREEMENT.
3. I AM NOT ATTRACTED BY THE IDEA OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE REACHING A GENERAL PHILOSOPHICAL AGREEMENT ON HOW TO HANDLE MAJOR ISSUES DURING HIS VISIT TO PEKING AND LEAVING THE DETAILS OF THE AIRPORT TO BE SETTLED LATER. THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT REPRESENTS THE PEAK OF OUR LEVERAGE. THE CHINESE MAY WELL BE HAPPY TO SETTLE FOR A GENERAL STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES. THE PROOF OF WHETHER THIS WOULD WORK WOULD BE IN THE DETAIL. THIS COULD WELL TAKE CONSIDERABLE TIME TO NEGOTIATE ONCE OUR TIMING LEVERAGE HAD GONE. FURTHERMORE, EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT THE BEST WAY TO GET WHAT WE WANT FROM THE CHINESE IS TO WORK OUT AS MUCH DETAIL AS POSSIBLE IN ADVANCE AND GET THAT APPROVED BY CHINESE LEADERS IN HIGH-LEVEL CONTACTS.
4. WE ALSO HAVE TO BEAR IN MIND THE TIMING CONSTRAINTS ARISING FROM THE AIRPORT ITSELF. INVITATIONS TO TENDER FOR THE LANTAU BRIDGE SHOULD GO OUT BY THE END OF MARCH. I HAVE TOLD LU THAT WE CAN HOLD OFF FOR A SHORT TIME. BUT WE DO NOT HAVE MUCH TIME TO PLAY WITH IF THE AIRPORT IS TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED BY 1 JULY 1997. ALL THIS MEANS THAT WE HAVE A STRONG NEED TO REACH A SATISFACTORY UNDERSTANDING DURING THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT, IF WE ARE TO BE ABLE TO CARRY OUT THE PROJECT IN A WAY THAT BENEFITS HONG KONG DURING THE NEXT 6 AND A HALF YEARS.
5. NOW THAT I WILL NOT GET A MESSAGE TO LU BEFORE HE LEAVES HONG KONG, I WOULD PREFER TO LEAVE IT UNTIL I RETURN TO HONG KONG, IE. TO AIM TO SEND A FINAL VERSION TO PEKING ON 18 MARCH. I AM GENERALLY CONTENT WITH THE SUGGESTIONS IN HONG KONG TUR, ALTHOUGH I WOULD WISH TO LOOK AGAIN AT THE DETAILED DRAFTING ON MY RETURN TO HONG KONG. GRATEFUL IF IN THE MEANTIME YOU AND OTHER ADDRESSEES COULD CONSIDER WHETHER ANY ADDITIONAL POINTS SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE DRAFT, EG. ON WHAT WE SHOULD SEEK IN RETURN, AND REACH AGREEMENT ON A TEXT.
6. THE TIMING OF MY MEETING WITH LU IS NOW BECOMING UNPLEASANTLY TIGHT. USING THE APPROACH OF A GENERAL FORMULA MEANS THAT THE CHANCES ARE THAT, AT BEST, I SHALL ONLY GET PART OF THE WAY IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH LU. THEREAFTER, HE WILL NEED TIME TO OBTAIN A HIGH-LEVEL REACTION TO WHATEVER I EVENTUALLY PUT ON THE TABLE. IF HE CANNOT COME TO FAN LING ON THE DATES I HAVE SUGGESTED (22-23 MARCH), AND I SHALL NOW BE GIVING HIM VERY LITTLE NOTICE, WE SHALL BE MOVING INTO A PERIOD VERY CLOSE TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S
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