GPS 242.
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 201100Z OCT 83
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1075 OF 20 OCTOBER Azte Cazi
INFO PRIORITY PEKING.
YOUR TELNO 1554 ROBERT ADLEY MP
ler
м
have this
done pre
MUCK040/13
Copies of the
should
си
на
а
go MPs writing contact a Pakanely Letter for MPs
1. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE HAVE GIVEN US THE SAME
INFORMATION ABOUT MR ADLEY'S PROPOSED VISIT TO HONG KONG THEY
ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT MORE OF HIS PLANS AND WILL KEEP IN TOUCH
WITH US.
2. YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT MR ADLEY WROTE TO THE PRIME MINISTER
THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND MR LUCE IN EARLY OCTOBER RESTATING
HIS VIEW THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SHOULD IMMEDIATELY RECOGNISE
CHINA'S SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG. IT WAS ONLY A PERSONAL
INTERVENTION BY MR LUCE WHICH DISSUADED MR ADLEY FROM PUBLISHING
HIS LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER. BUT IN A FURTHER LETTER MR
ADLEY WARNED THAT HIS PATIENCE WAS ALMOST EXHAUSTED AND THAT HE
WAS PROFOUNDLY DISQUIETED BY DEVELOPMENTS OVER HONG KONG THE
SECRETARY OF STATE SUBSEQUENTLY WROTE TO MR ADLEY COUNSELLING
RESTRAINT.
3.
IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WE JUDGE THAT ANY ATTEMPT TO APPROACH
MR ADLEY OR LEAN ON HIM COULD BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE IF
HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG MATERIALISES WE CAN ONLY SUGGEST THAT IT
SHOULD BE HANDLED AS A ROUTINE AFFAIR, AND THAT HE SHOULD BE
TREATED NO DIFFERENTLY FROM ANY OTHER VISITING MP WHERE HIS
PROGRAMME OR BRIEFING IS CONCERNED.
4. MR ADLEY HAS ALSO SECURED AN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON HONG KONG
SUCH
IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, TO TAKE PLACE ON 31 OCTOBER
DEBATES LAST FOR HALF AN HOUR. WE DO NOT YET KNOW WHO WILL
REPLY FOR THE GOVERNMENT.
HOWE
the future
21/10
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
COPIES TO
LIMITED
SIR IAN SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER
MR BURROWS
ED/EX
HD/FED
MR ROBERTS
LEGAL ADVISER
NEWS D
ED/PLANNING STAFF
MR MARTIN
HD/PUSD
PS
PS/LADY YOUNG
MR FLOWER
PS/MR LUCE
MR COLES
PS/PUS
SIR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD
MR WRIGHUL
SIR A PARSONS
MR WALKER
ASSESSMENTS STAFF
CABINET OFFICE
FUSD
NO 10 DOWNING STREET
NO 10 DOWNING STREET
RESEARCH D OAB 2/82
MR GOODALL, CABINET OFFICE
SIR PHILIP MOORE, BUCKINGHAM PALACE
CONFIDENTIAL