:
MISS DUNN:
CONFIDENTIAL
YES SIR. I AM SORRY, GIVEN THE CONCERN EXPRESSED ABOUT CONFIDENTIALITY, IS THE GOVERNMENT SATISFIED THAT THE PRESENT PROCEDURE WOULD NOT INHIBIT PEOPLE FROM COMING FORWARD
WITH THEIR VIEWS.
THE PRESIDENT:
YOU MEAN THE INTENDED PROCEDURE.
MISS DUNN:
YES, THE INTENDED PROCEDURE, I PEG YOUR PARDON.
SHA:
I THINK I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION BECAUSE IT MUST BE PUT TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS PROFLEM IN THEIR MIND. WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT I'M QUITE SATISFIED THAT THE PRCODURE PROPOSED WILL NOT LEAD TO THE DIVULGING OF NAMES PREMATURELY. BY PREMATURELY I DON'T MEAN IN A MATTER OF WEEKS, I'M TALKING ABOUT MANY MANY YEARS, AND I DO NOT THINK THIS WILL HAPPEN UNDER THE INTENDED PROCEDURE OR CAUSE ANY EMBARRASSMENT.
MR. ALLEN LEE:
ARE THERE ANY PROVISIONS FOR DESTROYING SUCH
DOCUMENTS IN THE UK IN THIS CASE?
SHA:
I AM AFRAID I AM NOT FAMILIAR ENOUGH WITH THE ACT TO GIVE YOU AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, BUT AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THEY ARE NOT NORMALLY DESTROYED.
MRS. CHOW: SIR, IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC REQUESTS BY PEOPLE WHO SUBMITTED THEIR VIEWS THAT THEIR DOCUMENTS BE DESTROYED WITHIN, SAY A CERTAIN PERIOD, OF SAY A YEAR, WOULD SUCH SUBMISSIONS BE THEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT OR WOULD THEY JUST BE DISMISSED.
SHA:
I THINK I WOULD REQUIRE NOTICE OF THAT QUESTION WHICH GOES WAY BEYOND THE ORIGINAL, AND I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT UP SEPARATELY. I DONT'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, MRS. CHOW.
2. SEE ALSO MIFT FOR FURTHER COMMENT.
HADDON-CAVE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
ENDS
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 HARD ING
SIR J FREELAND
MR BOYD,
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