TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 158

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MDHIAN 5491

ALREADY BEEN PREVIOUSLY DISCLOSED BY THE COMMERCIAL DAILY (ANOTHER

LEFT-WING PAPER) QUOTING CHINESE SOURCES (SEE OUR TELNO 951 PARA. 6). ON THE OTHER HAND, IT SAID NOTHING ABOUT OUR THIRD POINT, I.E. THE SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE. THE LEAK COULD BE

AN ATTEMPT TO PUT PRESSURE ON US BEFORE THE MEETING IN LONDON ON 1 JULY. BUT IF SO, IT IS VERY CLUMSY SINCE IT SO OBVIOUSLY BREACHES THE CONFIDENTIALITY RULE. IT IS ALSO SLIGHTLY ODD THAT NO MENTION

IS MADE OF OUR PROPOSAL THAT THE FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE BE ELECTED

BY THE ELECTION COMMITTEE. IT MAY BE, THEREFORE, THAT THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF NCNA FREELANCING IN THIS LEAK, DESIGNED NOT ONLY TO PUT PRESSURE ON US BUT ALSO TO TOUGHEN UP THE CHINESE POSITION.

PATTEN

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

72

MAIN

65

.HK POLICY

HKD

PUSD

FED

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT

LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS

LEGAL ADVISERS//MR GILES NEWS D

NTCD

PLANNERS

RAD

PS

PS/MR GOODLAD

SIR J COLES MR HUM

ADDITIONAL

CAOFF//SIR R BRAITHWAITE (DIO)

CAOFF //MISS NEVILLE-JONES

CAOFF//MR SIBSON PS NO 10.

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