RESTRICTED
052240
MDHIAN 7808
MEETING UNQUOTE HELD THE PREVIOUS EVENING. THE REPORTS BELIEVED
THAT THIS EXTRA MEETING INDICATED THAT BOTH SIDES WERE GENUINELY INTERESTED IN RESOLVING THE AIRPORT ISSUE. BURNS WAS QUOTED AS DENYING THAT THIS WAS AN UNUSUAL SESSION. MANY PAPERS ON 22 MAY, AND AGAIN TODAY, NOTED THAT SENIOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS MET AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE UNTIL AFTER MIDNIGHT TO BE BRIEFED ON THE TALKS AND MAKE PLANS.
COMMENT
8. THE GENERAL FLAVOUR OF THE PRESS REPORTING HAS BEEN FRUSTRATION AT THE LACK OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE. BRITISH AND CHINESE SOURCES HAVE BEEN FREQUENTLY QUOTED, BUT THE QUOTATIONS HAVE NOT/NOT BEEN CONTENTIOUS. THE MOOD OF THE PRESS HAS FLUCTUATED ALONG WITH THE HANG SENG INDEX CON 20 MAY THE HANG SENG CLIMBED 34 POINTS, ON 21 MAY THE HANG SENG DROPPED 80 POINTS, BOTH ON AIRPORT-RELATED RUMOURS).
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
PADS SECRET
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
HD/NEWS D
HD/PUSD
31
DISTRIBUTION
40
HD/PLANNERS
PS
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/PUS
SIR J COLES
MR BURNS
ADDITIONAL
9
SIR P CRADOCK (NO 10)
PS/NO.10
MS BROOKS LEGAL ADVISERS
MR J P MCINTYRE HM TRESY MR APPLEYARD CABINET OFFICE
MR S WIGHTMAN CABINET OFFICE MR GOWAN CABINET OFFICE MR A CHARLTON CABINET OFFICE MR WYE RAD
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