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relationship is established. The Governor would be grateful if Ministers could find time to brief Mr Heath and to emphasise what the Prime Minister told Li Peng in Rio, that when the Chinese speak to him it is almost the same as speaking to the Prime Minister himself, and that what he says has the full
backing of Her Majesty's Government.
5. The Governor and Peking also agree that we should not task Sir Edward with any more specific messages or try to use him to sell the Governor's constitutional proposals. (This might under-cut the Governor's own position as authoritative interlocutor, and any leak about his role as an emissary could cause concern about "secret deals" being done behind the backs of Hong Kong people: Sir Edward is not very popular there.)
6. Sir Edward Heath will be staying with the Governor on 22 September, on his way to Peking, so Mr Patten will be able to talk things through with him then and may give him a broad outline of his thinking on the key issues.
Max.
N J Cox
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heath.sub/VISITBREIF
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