GPS 1100
IMMEDIATE
DESKBY @20038Z
CONFIDENTIAL
3
CYPHEP CAT A
FM FCO 0113217
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 020030Z
CUMON & HICK 013/548/4
стол в
16 -17
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 904 OF 1 CCTOBER
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
YOUR TELNO 969: LEGCO SPEECH
34
1. I AM GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE PASSAGES IN YOUR DRAFT STATEMENT CONTAINED IN YOUR T UR YOUR SPEECH WILL BE AN IMPORTANT, PERHAPS HISTORIC, MILESTONE IN HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT. I HAVE THEREFORE CONSIDERED EXTRACTS FROM YOUR TEXT WITH A CAREFUL EYE TO THE LIKELY REACTIONS NOT ONLY IN HONG KONG BUT ALSO HERE IN BRITAIN.
2. I HAVE LOOKED AT WHAT YOU PROPOSE TO SAY IN THE LIGHT OF PARAGRAPH 23 OF ANNEX C TO THE PLANNING PAPER, THE RECORDS OF YOUR DISCUSSION HERE IN JULY, AND WITH AN EYE TO WHAT WE MAY SUBSEQUENTLY WISH TO SAY TO THE TUC AND OTHER INTERESTED BODIES (LABOUR PARTY, CBI, ETC)(STEWART'S LETTER OF 24 SEPTEMBER). AS YOU SAY, YOU HAVE COVERED ALL THE POINTS ON WHICH WE AGREED, I RECOGNISE THAT YOU HAVE DRAFTED IN SUCH A WAY AS TO MAKE THE MORE RADICAL PARTS OF THE PROGRAMME ACCEPTABLE TO CONSERVATIVE OPINION IN HONG KONG. I KNOW THAT YOU ON YOUR PART REALISE THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND I MUST CONSIDER THE EFFECT ON THE UK PARLIAMENT AND PUBLIC. 1 AM RATHER ANXIOUS THEREFORE LEST SOME OF THE QUALIFICATIONS AND RESERVATIONS YOU INCLUDE MAY ENDANGER THE PRECISE TIME-SCALE WE ENVISAGED FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AGREED MEASURES. AND HERE AND THERE THE EMPHASIS ON THE VARIOUS STAGES WHICH WILL HAVE TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE DECISIONS ARE TAKEN AND ACTION INITIATED DO SEEM TO ME TO BLUNT THE SENSE OF URGENCY WHICH WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE. EVEN FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW I WONDER WHETHER A LESS QUALIFIED APPROACH WOULD NOT BE ADVISABLE. AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO US IF YOU COULD SEE YOUR WAY TO ADDING AN INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH, PERHAPS ON ROUGHLY THE FOLLOWING LINES.
CONFIDENTIAL
/QUOTE