CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 070100Z -070900IIK TIME
FM FCO 061535Z NOV 84
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2187 OF 6 NOVEMBER
ACTION COPY
15341
COMMS OFFICE REG NO. D.T.R. 7TH NOVEMBER, 1984 0700HRS.
FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR SIR P NAIRNE FROM GALSWORTHY, HKD
YOUR LETTER OF 29 OCTOBER AND YOUR TELNO 3344: REPORT OF THE MONITORING TEAM
(19)
1. I HAVE CONSULTED MINISTERS ON YOUR LETTER UNDER REFERENCE AND HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ON THE POINTS WHICH YOU RAISE:
A) SUBMISSION OF THE MONITORING TEAM REPORT. WE HAD EARLIER AGREED WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMANT THAT THE ASSESSMENT
OFFICE REPORT WOULD BE SENT BY COURIER LEAVING ON THE
EVENING OF MONDAY 26 NOVEMBER (HONG KONG TELNO 3006 AND OUR TELNO 1950 TO HONG KONG REFER). FOR OBVIOUS PRACTICAL REASONS WE HOPE THAT THIS TIMING CAN BE MAINTAINED, AND THAT
THE COURIER CAN ALSO BRING THE SIGNED COPY OF YOUR OWN
REPORT. WOULD THAT BE FEASIBLE? WE UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WILL
WISH YOUR REPORT TO BE DATED LATER THAN THAT OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE, BUT IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF A DRAFT TEXT COULD BE SENT TELEGRAPHICALLY PERSONALLY TO ME TO
ARRIVE BY THE MORNING OF SATURDAY 24 NOVEMBER SO THAT IT CAN
BE SET UP IN PROOF OVER THE WEEKEND. (BY THE SAME TOKEN WE
SHALL BE ASKING THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE FOR AN ADVANCE TEXT OF THEIR REPORT.) NEEDLESS TO SAY THESE TEXTS WOULD BE USED
ONLY FOR THE PURELY MECHANICAL PURPOSE MENTIONED. THEY
WOULD NOT PREVENT YOU FROM MAKING ANY CHANGES YOU THOUGHT
FIT TO THE FINAL TEXT, WHICH WOULD BE THE ONE SUBMITTED TO
MINISTERS.
B) YOUR OWN RETURN. MINISTERS WOULD INDEED FIND IT HELPFUL IF YOU COULD RETURN NOT LATER THAN 29 NOVEMBER, SO AS TO BE AVAILABLE IF CLARIFICATION OF YOUR REPORT IS REQUIRED.
C) WE AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE FOR MR JUSTICE LI TO
BE IN HONG KONG WHEN THE REPORTS ARE PUBLISHED.
D) OUR VIEW IS THAT IT WOULD INDEED BE PREFERABLE FOR THE
MONITORS TO DECLINE TO MAKE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THEIR
REPORT UNTIL AFTER THE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE.
E) WE AGREE THAT THE WORKING PAPERS OF THE MONITORING TEAM
SHOULD BE SENT TO US AS A CONTRIBUTION TO OUR ARCHIVES.
A: OFFICE OF THE MONITORING TEAM
D: NIL
joe
CONNIDENTIAL