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USEFULLY BE SEPARATED FOR CLARITY. IF WE ARE TO ENTER INTO TALKS WITH THE AIM OF REACHING AN ACCEPTABLE AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE WE NEED TO ACCEPT THAT THE OPENING OF DEBATE IN LEGCO IS LIKELY TO BRING TALKS TO AN ABRUPT END (IF THEY HAVE ALREADY STARTED) OR PREVENT THEM FROM OPENING AT ALL. IF TALKS DO BEGIN (OR AN ACCEPTABLE DATE IS SET) BEFORE THE BILL IS INTRODUCED TO LEGCO THEN WE SHALL PRESUMABLY WANT TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO GET SOMEWHERE BEFORE THREATENING DEADLINES FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF THE BILL TO LEGCO. IF HOWEVER WE GET NOWHERE NEAR OPENING TALKS BY THE EXPECTED TIME FOR INTRODUCTION OF THE BILL INTO LEGCO THE SCENARIO IN THE 2ND AND 3RD SENTENCES OF THIS TIRET APPLIES. NO DOUBT THE CHINESE WILL THEMSELVES BE MAKING CONTACT WITH LEGCO MEMBERS TO TRY TO INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME. BUT, APART FROM THE OPTION OF TRYING TO GET LEGCO TO PASS LEGISLATION ACCEPTABLE TO THEM, THE CHINESE MIGHT WELL DECIDE SIMPLY TO WORK FOR DEFEAT OF THE ORIGINAL PROPOSALS WITHOUT PUTTING ANYTHING IN THEIR PLACE.
III) SECOND TIRET: ANOTHER REASON FOR KEEPING OPEN OUR CHANNELS IS TO TRY TO PERSUADE THE CHINESE TO SEE THIS DISPUTE IN PERSPECTIVE. WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO EMPHASISE THAT WE WANT A SMOOTH TRANSITION AND THAT WE ARE NOT AIMING TO LEAVE CHAOS, TIME BOMBS ETC.
IV) FOURTH TIRET: RATHER THAN JUST ''CONSIDERING THE SCOPE' 1 FOR UNILATERAL ACTION WE THINK WE SHOULD BE PREPARED'' FOR IT, WHILE RECOGNISING THAT THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS WE SIMPLY CANNOT DO AND THAT OTHERS MAY HAVE TO MOVE ONTO A CARE AND MAINTENANCE BASIS. AS NOTED IN PARA 3 ABOVE, IF THE CHINESE CONTINUE TO REFUSE TO AGREE TO HKG PROPOSALS MUCH WILL DEPEND ON THE NERVES OF LEGCO'S FINANCE COMMITTEE.
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