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CONFIDENTIAL
Fil
Secretary of State (IT
B LAFE Никона Ne
HKG)
Mr Donald
3)HAR 1983
cc PS/PUS
(PS/Lord Belstead Je
Mr Giffard Hd/FED
Private Secretary
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: BRIEFING FOR CONSERVATIVE PARTY BACKBENCHERS
1. I understand it has been agreed that the Secretary of State should brief a small group of selected Conservative
backbenchers on Hong Kong's future.
2.
I attach:
(a)
(b)
(c)
ER (241
the current list of members of the Hong Kong Parliamentary Group;
a list of 6 Conservative MPs from that list who have a
W particular interest in or knowledge of Hong Kong and who we think would be good candidates for such a briefing. One key figure who has been omitted is
Mr Edward Heath, who was closely involved last year. If it were thought appropriate for him to be briefed
this might best be done separately;
some key Points to Make in briefing the selected MPs.
3. In drawing up the Points to Make, we have recommended as frank an approach as possible, including a reference to a possible recommendation to Parliament on sovereignty. I believe that if backbenchers are to be effectively briefed we need to
take them at least this far into our confidence. However
we have omitted any direct mention of the Prime Minister's
personal message to Premier Zhao. If the answer had been received by the time briefing took place, we might need to
reconsider this.
4.
We have not at this stage included suggestions for briefing of members of the Lords. I suggest that this should
CONFIDENTIAL
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