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HKD 026112
slightly reassuring
2 3 DCC 1991
Mr Morris
ur 3/12
047303
MDTTAN 7862
Yes. An annoying
Frend
"Initiative", but not
Miss Sandy likely to travel far. the bungen 31/12 MB4/12
In Riffelts or
т
3/xł
1:45
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FM PARIS
TO TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER NFR
OF 021037Z DECEMBER 91
FROM: JR YOUNG, PARIS
TO: P F RICKETTS, HKD, FCO
COPIES TO: HONG KONG (FOR POLITICAL ADVISER)
UKREP JLG, HONG KONG
CHIRAC'S VISIT TO HONG KONG, 8-9 NOVEMBER
·
1 I WAS ABLE TO FOLLOW UP YOUR TELELETTER OF 15 NOVEMBER TO NICK CANNON WHEN I LUNCHED ON 29 NOVEMBER WITH PIERRE LELLOUCHE, CHIRAC'S INTERNATIONAL ADVISER (WHO WAS WITH CHIRAC ON HIS CHINA/HONG KONG TRIP).
2.
I HAD A GOOD GO AT LELLOUCHE (WHO IS AN OLD FRIEND) DRAWING ON
THE ARGUMENTS IN YOUR PARA 2. LELLOUCHE SAID THAT HE HAD BEEN THE AUTHOR OF CHIRAC'S INITIATIVE FOR AN INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION, WHICH WAS INTENDED TO BE HELPFUL TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. CHIRAC WAS PERSUADED THAT LIFE HAD TO BE MADE AWKWARD FOR THE CHINESE IF THEY WERE TO COOPERATE INTERNATIONALLY, AND THAT AN INTERNATIONAL WATCHDOG WOULD HELP TO PUT THE CHINESE ON THE SPOT.
THAT SAID, THERE HAD BEEN NO REACTION FROM THE QUAI, AND LELLOUCHE IMPLIED THAT HE DID NOT EXPECT ANY.
3. I SAID THAT I WAS REASSURED BY WHAT LELLOUCHE HAD SAID ABOUT
CHIRAC'S OBJECTIVE, BUT I THOUGHT HE HAD MISJUDGED THE MEANS. THE CHINESE WERE MORE LIKELY TO DIG IN THAN SHOW FLEXIBILITY IF THEY
WERE PUT UNDER OVERT INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE OF THE KIND CHIRAC WAS PROPOSING. LELLOUCHE WAS DISPOSED TO ARGUE THAT THE CHINESE MIGHT WELL BE PREPARED TO CUT OFF THEIR NOSES TO SPITE THEIR FACES OVER HONG KONG, IE LET THE COLONY'S TRADING AND FINANCIAL PROSPECTS SUFFER FOR THE SAKE OF MAINTAINING POLITICAL IDEOLOGY. I SAID THAT, IF TRUE, THAT WAS ALL THE MORE REASON FOR AN APPROACH BASED ON PRIVATE WARNINGS OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE TO HONOUR THE
TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION RATHER THAN PUBLIC POSTURING.
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