GR

GT 230 FIDENTIAL

FA HONG KONG 140807Z NOV 78

. CONFIDENTIAL

TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELNO.1312 OF 14 NOVEMBER,

#KK 011/8

RECETT

61

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

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YOUR TELNOS.827, 851 AND 853.

LORD BROCKWAY'S AND MR PARRY'S P.QS.

1. WE HAVE NO COMMENT ON YOUR PROFOSED SUBSTANTIVE REPLY TO

LÖRD

LORD BROCKWAY: UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE YET TO RECEIVE THE EXCHANGE OF LETTERS REFERRED TO.

2. OUR COMMENT ON YOUR PROPOSED SUPPLEMENTARIES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Q6.

}

IT WOULD SEEM UNWISE TO BECOME INVOLVED IN ANY PUBLIC DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ATTITUDE OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TOWARDS HYPOTHETICAL CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES IN HONG KONG, SO SUGGEST THAT IF THE MINISTER IS PRESSED ON HIS REPLY HE SHOULD ONLY ADD '' DO NOT PROPOSE TO COMMENT ON THE VIEWS OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT''.

Q13. WE WOULD PREFER THE ANSWER TO READ:

''CONSTRUCTIVE EXPRESSIONS OF OPINION FROM INFORMED PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE ALWAYS WELCOME, AND ARE EXAMINED ON

THEIR MERITS''

YOU KNOW MRS ELLIOTT OF COURSE: DR HUANG AND MR TSIN COMMAND LITTLE RESPECT OR ALLEGIANCE IN HONG KONG AND IT WOULD BE ADVISABLE TO AVOID GIVING THE IMPRESSION THAT ANY SPECIAL CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO REPRESENTATIONS ORIGINATING

FROM THEM.

3. WE AGREE THAT THE REPLY TO PARRY'S WRITTEN P.Q SHOULD BE ALONG THE LINES OF THE ANSWER TO LORD BROCKWAY.

MACLEHOSE

FILES.

H K & G D (6) MR CORTAZZI

MR MURRAY

FS/LORD GORONWY ROBEKTS

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE, LONDON

CONFIDENTIAL

T

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