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feasibility and commented that it was rather early to be
making any concrete arrangements. Mr Peirce in Hong Kong was
rather more upbeat, seeing it as a positive proposal in so
far as it was something the Chinese themselves wanted to
achieve.
He suggested that that Lord Palumbo might attempt
to stimulate Chinese interest without offering any firm
commitments.
Everyone agrees, however, that without an
agreement over Hong Kong, the plan has no future.
X
6. Lord Palumbo's article suggests that he has taken a
great deal of what he saw and was told during his visit to
China at face value. Its tone is gushing and somewhat
metaphysical. It is a great deal more enthusiastic and
detailed about the proposed Festival than might have been
expected and adds to the idea of a Festival of Chinese Arts
in UK, the possibility of "its British equivalent in China".
However, the Festival is referred to throughout as a
possibility or a proposition, and the proviso that it can
only go ahead "subject to the overriding need to reach a
political accomodation on that issue [Hong Kong] between our are two governments" is clearly spelt out. There appears,
therefore, no need to prevent the article from being
published or to request any changes in the text.
7. In the event that the article is published and the
media expressed an interest, I suggest that the following
press line be adopted:
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