TNAG-2731-FCO40-3937-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1993 — Page 111

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24. I SAID THAT ONE OR PERHAPS TWO MEMBERS WOULD LIKE THE PACKAGE DROPPED OR PUT ON THE BACK BURNER. OTHERS, EVEN WHERE THEY WERE CRITICAL OF THE PACKAGE, THOUGHT WE SHOULD GO FORWARD WITH IT UNAMENDED FOR TACTICAL REASONS. IT WOULD THEREFORE BE BEST TO PUT IT FORWARD UNAMENDED UNLESS THERE WERE SOME DRAMATIC DEVELOPMENT SUCH AS AN OFFER BY CHINA OF REAL AND SUBSTANTIAL TALKS.

25. I TOOK UP THE QUESTION OF BRITISH POLICY TOWARDS HONG KONG. WHEN I HAD BEEN OFFERED THE JOB OF GOVERNOR, NO ONE HAD ASKED ME TO CHANGE BRITISH POLICY. NO BRITISH MINISTER HAD ASKED ME TO IMPLEMENT A NEW AGENDA. NO ONE HAD TOLD ME TO GANG UP WITH THE US AGAINST CHINA OR TO PUSH CHINA DOWN THE SOVIET ROAD TO DESTRUCTION. NO ONE HAD TOLD ME TO SET UP A STRUCTURE THAT WOULD PROLONG BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY IN SOME SHADOWY IF NOT SUBSTANTIVE FORM BEYOND 1997. NO ONE HAD TOLD ME TO GET AS MUCH LOOT OUT OF HONG KONG AS POSSIBLE BEFORE 1997.

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THERE WAS HOWEVER A FEELING IN THE UK THAT IT WAS NOT GOOD

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