CODE 18 - 77
Mr
Davi
Reference.....
HONG KONG: VISIT BY HEUNG YEE KUK DELEGATION
1. Mr Webb Johnson in the HKGO telephoned towards the end of last week and again today with further items of information about the arrangements for the delegation's visit.
2. First, the total size of the delegation will be 14, but it is accepted that only the principal members of the delegation, of whom there are 7, should be regarded as candidates for the call on Lord Goronwy-Roberts at 10 am on Tuesday, 26 April. They would be accompanied by Mr Victor Chann of the HKGO who will act as the delegation's Liaison Officer and as interpreter for the meeting with the Minister of State. I expect that Lord Goronwy-Roberts' office will accept a party of 8 plus a member of the department to take a record but I think you should confirm this point with Mr Bacon. (The delegation who came in 1973 numbered 36 and I expect that rather more than half a dozen or so called on Sir Anthony Royle on that occasion.)
3. Second, Mr Webb Johnson said that the cocktail party which the delegation will be giving on Tuesday evening, 26 April, will coincide with a meeting that the Anglo-Hong Kong Parliamentary Group will be having with a delegation from the Urban Council who will be here at the same time. It is therefore unlikely that MPs belonging
The to the group will be able to attend the cocktail party. delegation will also be giving a farewell dinner the date and it may be possible to arrange for some MPs belonging to the Anglo-Hong Kong Parliamentary Group to attend that. will be invited to send representatives to both functions.
I am not sure of
The FCO
4. Third, Mr Robert Parry MP is apparently arranging for the delegation to meet a group of about 10 Labour MPs at the House of Commons after lunch on Tuesday afternoon, 26 April.
5. I should perhaps record that both Mr Kidd and Mr Stanley MP have asked me in the past few days whether I saw any objection to the Governor's proposal that Mrs Thatcher might meet the Chairman and 2 Vice-Chairmen of the Heung Yee Kuk during her forthcoming visit to Hong Kong (Hong Kong telegram No 284 of 1 April to the HKGO). They were a little concerned that we might take unkindly to this proposal given that Lord Goronwy-Roberts will be seeing the delegation from the Heung Yee Kuk within about a week of the I said that I would not wish planned meeting with Mrs Thatcher. to query the Governor's proposal, which will have been made in full awareness of the fact that a delegation from the Heung Yee Kuk will
We did not, as I saw subsequently be seeing Lord Goronwy-Roberts.
If
it, regard ourselves as having a monopoly of dealing with the Heung Yee Kuk and Lord Goronwy-Roberts would be meeting their delegation only because they had, as in the past, asked to see a Minister. the Governor felt that a meeting with the Heung Yee Kuk would meet, in part, Mrs Thatcher's wish to make contact with "unofficial pressure groups" (HKGO telegram No 282 of 31 March to Hong Kong), I see no objection, regardless of the fact that Lord Goronwy-Roberts
Mrs Thatcher subsequently would be seeing them shortly afterwards. accepted the Governor's proposal (HKGO telegram no 285 of 1 April
/to Hong Kong)