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Mr Stewart
CONFIDENTIAL
Reference.
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HONG KONG: TIMING OF THE GOVERNOR'S NEXT VISIT
1. I can think of a number of reasons why we should resist the Governor's suggestion that he should not makes his next visit
until November. The {malony follaig 1 March neper).
November.he
2.
First, the Governor has made visits for consultations at six-monthly intervals over at least the period of the last
18 months. He was here in December 1975, July 1976 and
December 1976. Before that, I believe that he was here in April 1975, so that the pattern of six-monthly visits may go back further in time. If the Governor were not to come until November, almost a year would have elapsed since his last visit.
3. Second, it would not, I think, be consistent with the view expressed in the Planning Paper that there is a need for more consultation between HMG and the Hong Kong Government on broad policy matters if the Governor were to start making less regular visits than he has done in the past. The habit has now developed of senior Hong Kong Government officials calling in on the Office when they are on leave in this country and the members of HKD paying regular visits to Hong Kong. It would be odd if we were now to see less of the Governor than we have done in the past.
4.
Third, we have made some play over the past six months or so, eg with journalists and in briefing for PQs etc, about the
deepening of the dialogue" that has occurred between HMG and the Hong Kong Government, and have specifically drawn attention to the Governor's six-monthly visits as the the principal feature of this dialogue. Again, if the Governor were to make only one visit this year, it would be difficult to maintain that there was a close and continuing dialogue. It is also useful for Ministers to say, when presented with some point raised, for example, by an MP in correspondence, that they will be seeing the Governor "shortly" (or whatever indicatore of time is appropriate) and will be able to discuss the point with him. This useful holding technique would disappear.
5.
Fourth, we have already put into Lord Goronwy-Roberts' mind the thought that the Governor's next visit, which we said was due in the summer, would provide one means of discussing the budget. I am not sure that we should foreclose this option.
6.
Fifth, the Governor has said that there seems to be "broad agreement" between us and adduced that as one reason for not coming until November. Broad agreement there may be, but experience continues to show that we find ourselves at odds with the Hong Kong Government on a number of specific issues. The budget looks
yes like being one and the handling of staffing matters is certainly no another. по
We also want to find out about the Hong Kong Government's labour and social programme for 1977/78, ie what the Governor is
/ going
CODE 18 - 17
CONFIDENTIAL