GPS 500 CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDEN LA
DESKBY 2409OOZ
AR 101
FM HONG KONG 240525Z MAR 84
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 803 OF 24 MARCH
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
n
1883013
MIPT: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL QUESTION.
ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT NORMAL FOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS TO ASK QUESTIONS AT THOSE MEETINGS OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL RESERVED FOR THE DEBATE ON THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S BUDGET PROPOSALS, MR ALLAN LEE HAS PUT DOWN THE FOLLOWING QUESTION FOR WEDNESDAY, 28 MARCH, VIZ: **WILL THE GOVERNMENT INVITE THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS TO VISIT HONG KONG BEFORE AS WELL AS AFTER
HIS IMPENDING VISIT TO CHINA.
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2. THIS QUESTION IS THE RESULT OF THE UMELCO MEETING YESTERDAY. IT IS IN ORDER AND CONFORMS TO THE RULES FOR QUESTIONS AS LAID DOWN IN STANDING ORDERS 15 15. IN ANY CASE, GIVEN THE TREMENDOUS INTEREST IN THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S FORTHCOMING VISIT TO PEKING AND HONG KONG, IT WOULD BE POLITICALLY INADVISABLE FOR US NOT TO ALLOW THE QUESTION, EVEN IF IT WERE POSSIBLE TO DO SO.
3. I ASSUME IT IS STILL THE CASE THAT THE S OF S WILL NOT BE ABLE TO VISIT HONG KONG ENROUTE TO PEKING. ON THIS A SUMPTION I PROPOSE THAT THE QUESTION SHOULD BE ANSWERED ALONG THE FOLLOWING LINES. (ANSWERS IN LEGCO ARE NORMALLY IN THE FORM OF A SUBSTANTIVE
STATEMENT AND NOT IN THE SUCCINCT HOUSE OF COMMONS FORM)
''AS MEMBERS ARE AWARE THE SECRETARY OF STATE ANNOUNCED IN THE
HOUSE OF COMMONS ON 22 MARCH THAT HE WOULD BE VISITING CHINA
IN MID-APRIL FOR TALKS ON HONG KONG WITH THE CHINESE FOREIGN
MINISTER AND OTHER CHINESE LEADERS. FROM THERE, HE SAID, HE WOULD
TRAVEL ON TO HONG KONG FOR FURTHER DISCUSSIONS AND THAT HE WAS
LOOKING FORWARD TO BOTH THESE VISITS. SIR GEOFFREY IS AWARE THAT
HE IS WELCOME IN HONG KONG AT ANY TIME BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT HIS
OTHER COMMITMENTS WILL NOT ALLOW HIM TO VISIT HONG KONG BEFORE
HE VISITS PEKING. NEVERTHELESS, HE STRESSED IN HIS STATEMENT
ON 22 MARCH THE IMPORTANCE HE ATTACHES TO KEEPING IN CLOSE TOUCH
WITH OPINION IN HONG KONG. HE REFERRED IN PARTICULAR TO THE
VISIT WHICH THE MINISTER OF STATE HAD MADE TO HONG KONG ONLY A
MONTH AGO AND TO THE WIDE RANGE OF OPINIONS WHICH HAD BEEN CONVEYED TO HIM ON THAT VISIT. IN ADDITION, THERE HAVE BEEN REGULAR VISITS TO LONDON BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE
CONFIDENTAL
/council.
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