CONFIDENTIAL
150)
ра
HKCD
༢ ¢
HICC G26/1
Dear Chark's
Charle's A
KY
21 NOV 1984
MPA
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
L
ми
Hong Kong
London SW1A 2AH
19 November, 1984
The Prime Minister will already know that a UMELCO delegation headed by the senior Unofficial Member of EXCO, Sir S Y Chung, will be visiting London in the week of the Parliamentary debate on the Hong Kong agreement. The delegation will arrive in London on 1 December accompanied by the Governor. The debate is most likely to start on 5 December, though this is not yet certain.
Mr Luce will see the delegation on 3 December and Sir Geoffrey Howe will receive them on the morning of 5 December, on his return from the European Council in Dublin.
The Prime Minister did not see the UMELCO delegation that visited London for the debate on Hong Kong last May. However the Governor has commented that the Prime Minister has received previous UMELCO delegations, and both the Executive and Legislative Councils have commended the draft agreement. In his view it would seem very strange to people in Hong Kong if she did not see them at the time of the crucial debate in Parliament. He suggests that the call need not be a long one.
In Sir Geoffrey Howe's view it would indeed be helpful if the Prime Minister could find time to receive the delegation briefly at some point during their stay. (They will be in London until 7 December). There could possibly be adverse comment in Hong Kong if the Prime Minister did not see them, and this would come not long before her visit to the territory.
C D Powell Esq 10 Downing Street
CONFIDENTIAL
乍
Ye ever
Peter Ricketts
(P F Ricketts) Private Secretary