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THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY AGREED WITH THE COURSE OF ACTION PROPOSED, ALTHOUGH HE CAUTIONED THAT THE CHANCE OF SUCCESS IF TALKS GOT STARTED WAS VIRTUALLY NIL AND THE FALLOUT OF FAILED TALKS WOULD BE WORSE THAN THE FALLOUT OF FAILED TALKS ABOUT TALKS. HE WAS SCEPTICAL ABOUT RAISING AIRPORT AND JLG ISSUES AT THIS STAGE. ALTHOUGH LU PING HAD SAID SOMETHING HELPFUL ABOUT THE AIRPORT IN PUBLIC, WHAT HE HAD SAID IN THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING PRIVATE MEETING HAD BEEN MOST UNHELPFUL (IT SEEMED TO CENTRE ON THE USE OF HUANGTIAN AIRPORT). WHAT HE HAD SAID ABOUT THE JLG SOUNDED FINE. BUT WE HAD BEEN SEEKING DATES FOR A MEETING SINCE DECEMBER AND HAD GO NOWHERE. TO RAISE THESE ISSUES NOW MIGHT ONLY REAWAKEN CHINESE EXPECTATIONS THAT WE COULD BE
BOUGHT OFF ON POLITICS THROUGH A DEAL ON THE AIRPORT.
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THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN
CLOSED UNDER
FOI EXEMPTION NO. .....27(1)
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