TNAG-2987-FCO40-3573-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-talks-betwee-1992 — Page 37

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DIPLOMACY AND PERSONAL ATTACKS ARE TO BE AVOIDED, AND MAKE THE POINT THAT WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE NEXT 4-5 YEARS.

4. ZHOU NAN IS NOW IN PEKING BUT I WILL BE SEEING THE ACTING NCNA DIRECTOR (WANG PINQING) ON THE AFTERNOON OF 6 OCTOBER TO HAND HIM A COPY OF MY SPEECH AND BRIEF HIM.

5. THE CHINESE PROPAGANDA BARRAGE WILL NOT DOUBT BE STRONG. I INTEND TO RESPOND TO WHATEVER THEY MAY SAY IN THE COMING WEEKS IN A CALM AND MEASURED WAY. ON THE AIRPORT, MY LINE WILL BE THAT WE WILL DO OUR BEST, ALTHOUGH AS TIME PASSES IT WILL INEVITABLY BECOME HARDER TO COMPLETE THE PROJECTS ON TIME. ON CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES, THE KEY ARGUMENTS WILL BE THAT MY PROPOSALS ARE WITHIN THE BASIC LAW AND ARE FOR DISCUSSION WITH CHINA.

6. I WILL TELEGRAPH MY THOUGHTS ON THE WAY FORWARD ON THE AIRPORT IN THE COURSE OF NEXT WEEK.

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