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4. STALLING IS A POSSIBILITY BUT I AM NOT SURE THAT WE WOULD GAIN MUCH BY IT. THIS IS OF COURSE A SENSITIVE TIME WITH THE TALKS TAKING PLACE IN PEKING BUT WILL THE CHINESE BE ANY LESS SENSITIVE ABOUT THIS WHEN I NEXT VISIT THE UNITED STATES, PROBABLY IN 1994 QUERY. WE MIGHT OR WE MIGHT NOT HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM ON POLITICAL ISSUES BY THEN BUT, EITHER WAY, THIS AWARD IS LIKELY TO BE A NEURALGIC POINT. MY INTENTION WAS FOR MY 1994 VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES TO FOCUS ON THE WEST COAST. IF I HAD TO TRAVEL ON THE EAST COAST PURELY, OR PRIMARILY, TO PICK UP THIS AWARD, THAT MIGHT RISK DRAWING EVEN M ORE ATTENTION TO IT.
5.
IF I DECIDE TO STALL I SHALL HAVE TO SAY THAT THE OFFER HAS COME TOO LATE TO BE FITTED INTO MY PROGRAMME. IN PRIVATE WITH WINSTON LORD, I WOULD HAVE TO GIVE A FULLER ACCOUNT OF MYSELF.
6. ON BALANCE, I FAVOUR ACCEPTING THE AWARD NEXT WEEK ON THE GROUNDS THAT IF IT IS TO BE DONE IT IS BEST THAT IT BE DONE QUICKLY. THE CHINESE COULD FIND QUITE A LOT TO BE SENSITIVE ABOUT IN MY UNITED STATES VISIT AND THERE IS MUCH TO BE SAID FOR BURYING THE FREEDOM AWARD AMONGST THE OTHER HIGH PROFILE EVENTS DURING THIS VISIT RATHER THAN MAKING MORE OF MEAL OF IT ON MY NEXT.
1.
I SHALL BE LEAVING FOR THE UNITED STATES ON 30 APRIL AND WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR ANY COMMENTS YOU MAY HAVE DESKBY 2901OOZ.
PATTEN
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ADVANCE
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