GR
300
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 101120Z MAY 83
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
(209)
TELEGRAM NUMBER 727 OF 10 MAY
INFO IMMEDIATE FCO (FOR HKGD) BRUSSELS UKMIS NEW YORK.
UKK040/1
รู
FOR HELEN YU FROM HASE INFO HKG REPRESENTATIVES
18 JUL 19631
THY
APPOINTMENT TO CPPCC
INDEX
aken
THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE MEDIA ON THE
RECENT APPOINTMENTS OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS TO CPPCC:
A) WHAT IS GOVERNMENT'S REACTION TO THE APPOINTMENT OF PROMINENT
PERSONS AND FORMER LEGCO MEMBERS TO CPPCC?
B) WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MOVE IN PARTICULAR FOR 1997?
C) LEGCO MEMBERS SWEAR AN OATH OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE QUEEN:
IS THIS A LIFE-LONG COMMITMENT AND IS THE PRESENT APPOINTMENT
TO CPPCC BY FORMER LEGCO MEMBERS IN CONFLICT WITH THEIR OATH OF
ALLEGIANCE?
2. THE FOLLOWING ANSWERS HAVE BEEN AGREED:
A) THIS IS A MATTER FOR THE INDIVIDUALS CONCERNED.
B) THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG IS THE SUBJECT OF NEGOTATIONS BETWEEN
HMG AND CPG WHICH ARE BEING CONDUCTED THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS.
C) THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY STATEMENT OF TIME
OR DURATION. FOR THE REST, IT IS A MATTER FOR THE INDIVIDUALS'
CONSCIENCE.
3. IF PRESSED ON QUESTION (B) YOU CAN ALSO SAY THAT THE APPOINTMENTS
ARE UNLIKELY TO HAVE MUCH SIGNIFICANCE FOR 1997 SINCE THE CPPCC
WOULD NOT APPEAR TO BE A SUITABLE FORUM FOR DISCUSSIONS ON THIS
ISSUE.
4. PLEASE DEAL WITH ANY PRESS QUERIES ALONG THESE LINES.
5. THE NAMES OF THE PERSONS APPOINTED TO CPPCC HAVE BEEN FAXED TO YOU SEPARATELY. THE MR K.C. WONG MENTIONED IS MR CLIFFORD
WONG.
YOUDE
MINIMAL HKGD
CONFIDENTIAL
COPIES TO:
HONG KONG GOVT office
LONDON