SECRET
•
37735 1
A
IMPLY THAT THERE CERTAINLY WILL BE A DELAY, BUT SIMPLY TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THERE MIGHT HAVE TO BE A DELAY IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OUTLINED IN PARA 2 ABOVE.
4. WE AGREE THAT WORK ON THE EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM SHOULD
OUR INTENTION IS THAT THE BULK OF THE BEGIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. MEMORANDUM AND THE BULK OF THE AGREEMENT ITSELF SHOULD BOTH BE IN FINAL PROOF FORM EVEN BEFORE THE FINISHING TOUCHES ARE PUT TO THE AGREEMENT. YOU WILL NO DOUBT WISH TO DO THE SAME, IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE YOU ARE FACED WITH PROBLEMS OF TRANSLATION INTO CHINESE. WHEN AGREEMENT WAS REACHED ON THE FINAL ELEMENTS IN THE TEXT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND ANNEXES, IT WOULD THEN BE NECESSARY TO MAKE ONLY MINOR ADDITIONS TO THE PROOF OF THE TEXT AND OF THE
THE ADVICE WE HAVE RECEIVED IS THAT IF EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM.
THE BULK OF THE TEXT HAD ALREADY BEEN PREPARED FOR PRINTING AND PROOF READ, THE LAST STAGE INVOLVING LAST MINUTE ADDITIONS TO THE TEXT, FINAL PROOF READING AND PRINTING COULD IF ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY BE COMPRESSED INTO ABOUT 48 HOURS.
5.
WE HAVE ALREADY DRAFTED AN OUTLINE OF THE EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM TO BE INCLUDED IN THE WHITE PAPER, AND PLAN TO SEND
WE SHALL THIS TO YOU FOR COMMENTS IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. EMBARK ON THE DRAFTING OF THE MEMORANDUM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
THEREAFTER.
6.
WE ARE AFRAID THAT AT THIS STAGE WE CANNOT GIVE YOU A DEFINITE INDICATION FOR THE DATE OF THE DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT. THE TIMING OF THIS WILL HAVE TO BE DECIDED BY MINISTERS, AND ALSO
WE BY THE BUSINESS MANAGERS OF THE TWO HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN THAT THE HONG KONG PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE THE GREATEST POSSIBLE LENGTH OF TIME TO COMMENT ON THE DRAFT AGREEMENT. HOWEVER WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT MINISTERS WILL WISH TO GO FIRM ON THE EXACT DURATION OF THE TEST OF ACCEPTABILITY AND THE TIMING OF SUBSEQUENT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES UNTIL IT IS CLEARER AT WHAT DATE THE TEST OF ACCEPTABILTY CAN BEGIN. BEST GUESS AT THIS STAGE IS THAT IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR POSSIBLE SLIPPAGE IN THE PARLIAMENTARY PROGRAMME THE DEBATE MIGHT HAVE TO BE SCHEDULED IN THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER.
7.
OUR
YOU ARE CORRECT IN ASSUMING THAT THERE WILL BE NO COPYRIGHT
2
SECRET