TNAG-2457-FCO40-3578-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-presentation-1992 — Page 31

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198 Everest 12 2. Mis Smarter of

PEKING: PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR FCO: PERSONĄŁ FOR RICKETTS, HKD

YRTELNO 155: SUNDAY TIMES ARTICLE

1. WE AGREE WITH YOUR ASSESSMENT THAT IT IS BETTER TO GOT OUR POINTS ON THE RECORD WITH DANNY GITTINGS RATHER THAN LEAVING HIM TO HIS OWN DEVICES.

2. AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, GITTINGS CAN BE MISCHIEVOUS AND WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU WORK ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT EVERYTHING YOU SAY IS ON THE RECORD AND THEREFORE USABLE. ONE POSSIBILITY IS TO LET HIM HAVE A WRITTEN STATEMENT AND THEN ANSWER A FEW SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS BY TELEPHONE. ALTERNATIVELY, YOU MIGHT SIMPLY MAKE YOUR STATEMENT DURING THE TELEPHONE CONVERSATION. EITHER WAY, WE AGREE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO BALANCE THE SUNDAY TIMES AND TA KUNG PAO REPORTS AND GITTINGS' OWN JOURNALISTIC INCLINATIONS.

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