CONFIDENTIAL
22
Mr Youde
Pob.
Secretung
7
Affenved
HKLOD. Now to be replaced by
BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH HONG KONG
State
ма
by
a ninte
Sir J. It unt, I gather
Phatt
39
1. The Cabinet Committee of Officials which was set up to
examine our bilateral relations with Hong Kong has now considered
(out of committee) a paper for the Defence and Oversea Policy
Committee. This is in accordance with the Prime Minister's
instructions that the opportunity should be taken to resolve as
many as possible of these problems before his visit to Hong Kong.
2. Unfortunately this is not a good moment to draw up a balance
sheet. The situation on many of these questions, especially the
death penalty and mass transit, is still fluid, and will change
before the Prime Minister's visit. Nevertheless the paper will
have to be typed tomorrow 30 November if it is to be considered
Office
by DOP, as the Cabinet require, on 5 December.
3. I submit the agreed draft accordingly, with contributions
from the Treasury, Home Office and DTI. There may have to be
last minute changes, for example if we receive the Governor's
decision on the case of Lam Po. If so they will be agreed with
Private Office. Otherwise they will have to be covered in the
Secretary of State's brief for the meeting•
29 November 1973
CC
Sir D Watson
PS to Mr Royle
Acsad
A C Stuart
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.
The proposal that the BDPI should look
CONFIDENTIAL