133
PP HONG KONG
GRS 214
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
16304 1
K
HKK 026/11
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
12 NOV 1934
Frid
137
FM FCO 091900Z NOV 84
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2227 OF 9 NOV 84
YOUR TELNO 3399: VISIT OF UMELCO DELEGATION TO LONDON
1.
UNFORTUNATELY BOTH THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE SECRETARY
OF STATE WILL BE ABSENT IN DUBLIN AT THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL ON 3
AND 4 DECEMBER. AT PRESENT THE MOST LIKELY DATES FOR THE
HOUSE OF COMMONS DEBATE ARE 5 AND 6 DECEMBER. AS YOU KNOW,
MR HEALEY HAS PRESSED FOR A TWO-DAY DEBATE, AND IT IS THEREFORE
POSSIBLE THAT THE DEBATE WILL COVER BOTH DATES.
2. THE SECRETARY OF STATE WOULD BE GLAD TO SEE THE DELEGATION
AT 0900 ON WEDNESDAY 5 DECEMBER FOR AN HOUR (HE MAY NEED
THE REST OF THE MORNING TO PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES TO HIS
SPEECH IF IT IS TO BE THAT AFTERNOON).
4.
3. PRESUMABLY IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THE DELEGATION CALLED ON
MR LUCE ON 3 DECEMBER BEFORE SEEING THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
AT PRESENT THERE ARE NO PLANS FOR THE PRIME MINISTER TO
RECEIVE THE DELEGATION. WE ARE WILLING TO INVESTIGATE THE
POSSIBILITY OF A CALL ON 5 DECEMBER BUT WOULD BE GRATEFUL TO
KNOW WHETHER YOU REGARD IT AS ESSENTIAL
5. WE ASSUME THAT DISCUSSIONS ON SUCH MATTERS AS NATIONALITY
WILL BE SOMEWHAT CONSTRAINED BY THE PRESENCE IN THE DELEGATION
OF LEGCO MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT MEMBERS OF EXCO. BUT NO DOUBT
MUCH DEPENDS ON THE EXACT COMPOSITION OF THE DELEGATION.
HOWE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER) PS
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
COPIES TO:(VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
OFFICE
MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR P CRADOCK, ROOM K195
CONFIDENTIAL