HKK040!
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
Ja
- 8 MAY 1984
DESK OFFICER
SECRET
321
A
B
с
STRY
Biels
this as FROM: R D CLIFT, HKD
brunk boo beamedy an Arous
Sir P Cradock
Private Secretary
DATE: 1 May 1984
cc: PS/Mr Luce
Search or Stade PS/PUS
Sir W Harding
Dr Wilson
Mr Burrows, Legal
Advisers
Mr Orr, FED
Consulestia has already byum, as was anofter by de the 40urso Mas вижкойно ма at todays mention. Many of thin myan therntors as Eching how in it, to war an Erfon Essle. A riferendon is nyarded at both ends as werhudly dead. What is waded is more formaleged FUTURE OF HONG KONG: ACCEPTABILITY study Urryl as many channels
1.
Mr Walker, RD
Mr Roberts, News Dept
With my minute of 15 March I submitted a draft paper on ways of testing the acceptability to the people of Hong Kong of an agreement on the future. This was discussed with the Secretary of
State. It was agreed that the question should be considered again
after we had seen the effect of the Secretary of State's unveiling
statement.
+ bodies as hors. Why not shape I on the bays of A
,asah?
2. The Governor has now proposed (Peking telno 813) that we
should begin planning the consultation process more firmly. He has
suggested that a paper should be put to EXCO early this month. In
Hong Kong telno 1158 he suggests that this should be done on 8 May
so that members of the UMELCO delegation coming to London for the
Parliamentary debate could be properly briefed for discussion with
Ministers.
3.
Given other pressures on Ministers and the already heavy agenda for OD (K) on 3 May, I do not think it would be practicable to
get endorsement of a full paper to meet the Governor's deadline. A number of amendments will be necessary and the question will need
very careful consideration. However it would be helpful to let the
Governor have some material to prepare members of the UMELCO delegation. There are certain broad ideas in our paper with which the Governor agrees which I think he could usefully put to EXCO next week. Essentially this draws on paragraph 8(iii) of the paper with some tentative additions suggested by the Governor. This should be
sufficient to steer UMELCO members away from such ideas as a
SECRET
/referendum