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interlocutors.
We had in the past asked him to brief Italian leaders to make potentially unwelcome points to senior Chinese
He had always done so; but he had never been sure how wholeheartedly old school figures such as Andreotti had actually been willing to row the boat against the tide of commercial pressures. From now on, however, such inhibitions would diminish: we would find Italian leaders more willing to speak frankly to the Chinese. added, for good measure, that he personally was always ready to intervene in any way we might find useful on issues related to Hong Kong.
Comment
5.
Pini
Pini's remarks reflect the current troubled mood in the Farnesina (see David Colvin's letter of 18 January to Jeremy Greenstock). He himself is looking forward to escaping for a year, to take up a Visiting Fellowship at Harvard in September. That, perhaps coupled with a slightly cynical personality, may help to explain his willingness to criticise his political masters so openly. He is probably underestimating the extent to which Italian commercial interests will continue to condition its foreign policy; and overestimating the receptiveness of Chinese leaders to Italian pressure of any kind. But his fundamentally supportive attitude must nevertheless be welcome.
Yous
ever
PP
J Ashton
First Secretary (Political)
CC:
RAJ Bunten Esq, HKD, FCO
Miss T M V Abbott-Watt, WED, FCO SE Bradley Esq, DPA, Hong Kong Chanceries:
Hanoi, UKMIS Geneva, UKREP Brussels,
Peking, Washington
H L Davies Esq, FED, FCO
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