CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 270215Z HONG KONG
TELNO 147
OF 270151Z OCTOBER 92
AND TO DESKBY 27070OZ FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
Mai3 012/6
pn. China angle
172377
MDHIAN
MDHIAN 4928
TOP COPY Q DIST?
FCO TELNO 153 TO YOU AND TELECON AMBASSADOR/BRADLEY:
ELECTION COMMITTEE
1.
UNFORTUNATELY I DO NOT/NOT THINK THAT IT WOULD BE PRACTICABLE TO TAKE ACTION WITH THE CHINESE IN TIME FOR THE DOCUMENTS AND COMMENTARY TO BE PUBLISHED IN HONG KONG TODAY, 27 OCTOBER.
2.
THE EARLIEST INSTRUCTIONS COULD REACH US WOULD BE AROUND 1700 LOCAL TIME. BUT WE CANNOT BE SURE OF THIS. IT WOULD THEREFORE BE RISKY TO TRY TO SET UP A MEETING FOR, SAY, 1745 LOCAL ON A CONTINGENT BASIS. THE CHINESE MIGHT IN ANY CASE BE RELUCTANT TO AGREE TO A MEETING AS LATE AS THAT.
3. SINCE THE EXCHANGE OF MESSAGES WAS BETWEEN THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND FOREIGN MINISTER QIAN QICHEN I THINK THAT WE SHOULD TAKE ACTION WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTRY RATHER THAN THE STATE COUNCIL HKMO IN THE FIRST INSTANCE. BUT WE WOULD NEED TO INFORM THE STATE COUNCIL OFFICE AS WELL.
4. THERE IS A FURTHER POINT. ALTHOUGH IT IS THE CHINESE WHO HAVE IN EFFECT PROPOSED THE PUBLICATION OF THE MESSAGES, AND HAVE INDEED REFERRED TO THEM PUBLICLY WITHOUT SEEKING OUR PERMISSION, WE OUGHT TO GIVE THEM AT LEAST A FEW HOURS NOTICE OF OUR INTENTION TO PUBLISH THE TEXTS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE HOW WE COULD DO SO IF THE DOCUMENTS WERE TO BE MADE PUBLIC IN HONG KONG TODAY.
5. I HOPE THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO DELAY ACTION IN HONG KONG FOR 24 HOURS. THIS WOULD ENABLE US TO INFORM THE CHINESE LATE THIS AFTERNOON IF/IF WE RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS IN TIME AND COULD GET APPOINTMENTS, OR FAILING THAT TOMORROW (28 OCTOBER) MORNING.
FCO RESIDENT CLERK PLEASE INFORM RICKETTS (HKD) OR HUM (AUSS).
MCLAREN
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