better on both counts.
PLA/CONSCRIPTION
CONFIDENTIAL
4.
Considerable anxiety in Hong Kong about prospect of PLA
garrison, Discussed this with you informally during last
visit. Fully accept your assurance that you will act
prudently. Could you not make some reassuring statement publicly on this?
5.
Similarly conscription. Discussed during negotiations.
As we understand it you are probably not intending to have
conscription in Hong Kong. Can understand why you did not
wish to put this in agreement and have it immutable for 63
years. But statement from Chinese Government that not
intending to introduce conscription in 1997 would have very
good effect in Hong Kong.
6. On both subjects we have taken line in public that this
entirely for Chinese Government.
JOINT LIAISON GROUP: MEMBERSHIP
7. You will have noticed pressure from Hong Kong to have
"Hong Kong people" represented. People in Hong Kong thinking
of Unofficials in this respect. We have said Officials only
but will include Hong Kong Government representatives.
This
is very least we can do. In any case sort of matters which will be discussed will demand presence of Hong Kong
Government Officials who are only ones who understand many of
them.
8.
Hong Kong Government officials will of course be members
of the British team. After 1997 presumably would sit on
Chinese side.
9.
[If necessary] Simply not possible to restrict Hong Kong
Government participation to British Government officials, or
CONFIDENTIAL