GR 350
SECRET
SECRET
FM HONG KONG 010810Z FEB 84
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 273 OF 1 FEBRUARY
INFO PEKING
PERSONAL FOR CLIFT, HKD FROM POLITICAL ADVISER
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: RECORDS
Нікколой
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
3FEB 1984
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
\Q Tety
tion Taken
!
1. AFTER EIGHT ROUNDS OF TALKS WE ARE BEGINNING TO FIND IT
DIFFICULT TO KEEP TRACK OF WHO SAID WHAT AND WHEN. THE WORK OF PREPARING SPEAKING NOTES AND OTHER MATERIAL IN CONNECTION WITH THE
TALKS SOMETIMES TAKES LONGER THAN NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE
NEED TO LOOK UP THE RECORDS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE NOT MISSED SOMETHING IMPORTANT SAID BY ONE OR OTHER OF THE TWO SIDES:
WE ARE RELYING MAINLY ON MEMORY.
2. WHAT IS NEEDED IS A LOOSELEAF CONVORDANCE, UPDATED AFTER EACH ROUND OF THE TALKS OR INFORMAL CONTACT, WHICH WOULD BRIEFLY SUMMARISE POINTS MADE UNDER DIFFERENT SUB HEADINGS, WITH REFERENCES TO THE ROUND(S) (FIRST OR SECOND DAY) OR INFORMAL MEETNGS WHEN THE PARTICULAR ISSUE WAS DISCUSED. THE CHOICE OF
SUB HEADINGS IS IMPORTANT: THEY WOULD NEED TO BE SUFFICENTLY, BUT NOT EXCESSIVELY DETAILED. FOR EXAMPLE, HEADINGS UNDER
THE LEGAL SYSTEM WOULD NEED TO INCLUDE QUOTE FINAL COURT OF APPEAL UNQUOTE, QUOTE JUDGES: METHOD OF APPOINTMENT UNQUOTE," QUOTE JUDGES:
INDEPENDENCE OF UNQUOTE ETC.
*
3. I WONDER IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO ASK RESEARCH DEPARTMENT TO
GO THROUGH THE RECORDS OF ALL THE MEETINGS SO FAR, AND THE RECORDS/TELEGRAPH REPORTS OF INFORMAL MEETINGS IN ORDER TO
PRODUCE SUCH A CONCORANCE. I REALISE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING
OF A CHORE, BUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE CONCERNED WITH THE FUTURE HERE IS, AS YOU KNOW, VERY SMALL AND WE SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE THE TIME TO UNDERTAKE THE TASK OURSELVES.
4. WHAT I HAVE IN MIND IS OF COURSE A SEPARATE EXERCISE FROM THE
WORK ON CHINESE (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) PUBLIC STATEMENTS
ALREADY HAVE IN HAND.
YOU DE
LIMITED
it KD
FED RES D MR DONALD
WHICH RESEARCH DEPARTMENT
ΤΟ
SEE
GS
See 76
79
SECRET
73
COPIES
SIR P CRADOCK.
THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RETAINED
·
IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER
SECTION 3 (4) OF THE
PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1958
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