(3001) Dd. 145244 400m 8/73 L.Ltd. Gp.839
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
[
-
Registry No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
(
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted. Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
川
SECRET
DRAFT
PAPER FOR CABINET
COMMITTEE ON HONG KONG Type 1 +
To:
Draft PIA
FROM
HKK 3/548/15
Telephone No. Ext.
Department
In Confidence
As
PROBLEMS OF UK/HONG KONG RELATIONS
1.
This Committee was set up to examine the
complex of our bilateral problems with Hong Kong in
the light of the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary's
minute to the Prime Minister (Annex A) and the Prime
Minister's comment that the opportunity should be
taken to resolve any important outstanding issues befor
his visit to Hong Kong in January 1974. Our aim is
to report to the Defence and Overseas Folicy Committee
before the end of the year. The DOP paper would then
constitute an agreed steering brief for the Frime
Minister's visit.
2.
It is still too early to draft a final report.
We have made progress on a number of the issues raised
in the Foreign Office minute, but none of them have
yet reached a final conclusion. Moreover, even where
we have made up our own minds, in no case are we
prepared to give Hong Kong everything they want. This
is not necessarily wrong; but it does mean that there
will be a problem of presentation, and that even when
we have reached agreement with the Hong Kong
Government, the Prime Minister is still likely to be
questioned in Hong Kong on whether we have done enough.
We propose that at the next meeting of GEN 190 we should consider the progress already made, and in
3.
SECRET
/prospect,
(17365) Dd.145178 400m 5/73 G.W.B.Ltd. Gp.863