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PERSONAL FOR DINHAM, GOVERNMENT HOUSE FROM PS/MR GOODLAD

TELECONS DOREY/DINHAM ON 17 DECEMBER:

FT ARTICLE ON HONG KONG

1. Mr Goodlad has focussed on the section in the middle of Simon Holberton's article in the Financial Times of 17 December concerning the 1990 exchange of letters with China. This is potentially very unhelpful in British Parliamentary terms. The Minister would like to know which 'Senior British Official' has been talking to Mr Holberton in these terms. It seems probable that the conversation quoted took place in Hong Kong.

2.

I have discussed with Mike Hanson a defensive line which we could use if pressed on this section of the article. We agreed to say that: 'those concerned in preparing the proposals put forward by the Governor were of course aware of this exchange of Letters.'.

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