CONFIDENTIAL
Mr Clift HUD
них
Thank you Jeron "") "17
FROM: R D CLIFT, HKD DATE: 11 JULY 1983
cc: Mr Donald
e
Mr Clarke, News Dept
Minive has sen
PS/Mr Jace
Lace
1 1 BBC 2 NEWSNIGHT'' PROGRAMME ON HONG KONG
1.
I understand that Mr Donald discussed this further with
you and that Mr Luce may speak to Mr Robert Adley.-(38)
2. I have talked to Sir Paul Bryan. He was approached by Mr Snow, presenter of the programme, and invited to put the case against giving up sovereignty over Hong Kong, in debate with Mr Adley. Sir Paul Bryan declined. He explained to Mr Snow that in his view this was not a black and white issue. He recalled that when in Hong Kong last autumn the Prime Minister had indeed mentioned the treaties but had also said that they could be altered. This was not therefore a case of argument for or against a cession of sovereignty. Mr Snow pressed him on whether there would not be argument in Parliament and pressure from people like Sir Julian Amery. Sir Paul said that in his view MPs were well educated on Hong Kong and understood the issue and there would be no strong dissension.
3. Sir Paul Bryan's advice in the light of this was that Mr Snow seemed disappointed that he might not be able to get a proper argument going and was wondering whether it would be worth having a piece on Hong Kong at all. This may be over- optimistic but on the whole I think Sir Paul is right in his judgement that it is better to let the matter become as damp a squib as possible. Obviously if Mr Adley's can be persuaded not to appear or to tone down his remarks, so much the better. But I do not think it would be worth trying to find some other 'pro-Hong Kong' MP to take part in a debate; anybody else would probably get it wrong and we would end up with an even worse situation.
11 July 1983
Bin
R D Clift
Hong Kong Department
CONFIDENTIAL
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