GPS GPS 160 PRIORITY

CHER CAT A

CONFIDENTIAL

100 101

- 9 JAN 76

FM FCO 061885Z

HKK013/SUST

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO 84 OF 6 FEB

INFO PEKING.

FROM HKLOD

PQ: HMG'S POLICY ON HONG KONG

1. MR JOHN WATKINSON (LABOUR

FOLLOWING ORAL QUESTION:-

GLOUCESTERSHIRE) HAS PUT DOWN THE

''TO ASK THE SECRETARY OF STATE IF HMG INTENDS TO REVIEW ITS POLICY

TOWARDS HONG KONG."

2. WE PROPOSE TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING DRAFT REPLY:

P

''HMG'S POLICY IS TO ADMINISTER HONG KONG IN THE INTERESTS OF THOSE

WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO LIVE THERE. THE WAY IN WHICH THIS POLICY CAN BEST

BE IMPLEMENTED IS NATURALLY KEPT UNDER REVIEW. I WILL HAVE A FIRST

HAND OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE THE SITUATION WHEN I VISIT HONG KONG

IN EARLY MAY.''

3. FOR SUPPLEMENTARIES WE INTEND TO USE TEXTS PREPARED FOR THE PQ

(NOT, IN FACT, PEACHED) TO THE PRIME MINISTER ON 5 FEBRUARY (MY TELEGRAMS 60-53, YOUR TELEGRAM NO 88 AND PEKING TELEGRAMS HOS 55 AND 56 REFER). WE MAY ALSO SUBMIT SUPPLEMENTARIES DEALING WITH SOME

OF THE POINTS RAISED IN MR HOOLEY'S QUESTIONS (MY TELEGRAM NO 81 NOT REPEATED TO PEKING)

4. MR WATKINSON'S QUESTION IS THE FIRST FOR ANSWER ON 18 FEBRUARY,

WHEN THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS TOP FOR QUESTIONS. WE HAVE TO SUBMIT

DRAFT REPLY BY 11 FEBRUARY AND SHOULD BE RATEFUL FOR ANY COMMENTS BY

1009007.

CALLAGHAN

FILES

COPIES TO:

HKLOD (6)

FED

PS

PS/LORD GOROHWY-ROBERTS PS/PUS

HR LANCOUR

NR MALE

MR COOK CRE 1

DOT

CRE 4

MR ASHFORD

ISS LOWNE DOI

MR WARD DS 6 NOD

HONG KONG GOVERMENT OFFICE

CONFIDENTIAL

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