TNAG-2452-FCO40-3569-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1992 — Page 86

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146221 MDHIAN 1506

WE ARE SERIOUS IN OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS AND THEREFORE POSSIBLY DILUTE THE CHINESE REACTION. BUT IT WOULD INEVITABLY PROLONG DEBATE, AND GIVE MORE TIME FOR THE CHINESE TO EXERT PRESSURE ON MEMBERS OF LEGCO AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. IT MIGHT ALSO BE PORTRAYED AS THE GOVERNMENT RETREATING FROM ITS PROPOSALS AND LEAVE US OPEN TO CHARGES OF BETRAYAL FROM THE UDHK AND OUR OTHER SUPPORTERS.

10. ON BALANCE, I FIND THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST A WHITE BILL MORE COMPELLING AT THIS STAGE. IT IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL THAT WE SHOULD NOT LOSE THE SUPPORT OF THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY SHOWN THEMSELVES PREPARED TO STAND BY US. OUR PRESENT PROPOSALS ARE STILL THE BEST THAT HAVE EMERGED, AND THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS TO GIVE ANY WRONG SIGNAL THAT THERE IS ANY WEAKENING IN OUR RESOLVE TO GET THEM THROUGH.

11. WE WILL OF COURSE CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU AND PEKING IN THE PICTURE AS OUR THINKING ON ALL THIS EVOLVES, AND LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING THIS WITH YOU AFTER YOUR ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG.

PATTEN

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

.HK POLICY

HKD

PUSD

FED

63

DISTRIBUTION

72

PLANNERS

RAD

PS

PS/MR GOODLAD

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT

.AND MS BROOKS

NEWS D

SIR J COLES

MR APPLEYARD

MR HUM

ADDITIONAL

9

CAOFF//SIR R BRAITHWAITE

CAOFF//MISS NEVILLE-JONES

CAOFF//MR SIBSON

CAOFF//MS D CORNER

CAOFF//MR CHARLTON PS/PM

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