CONFIDENTIAL
POSTPONEMENT OF REVIEW WOULD SERIOUSLY UNDERMINE CREDIBILITY AND AUTHORITY OF HKG. WOULD THUS BE ENTIRELY AGAINST YOUR
INTERESTS.
11. WHAT WILL BE PROPOSED IN 1987 REVIEW AND THEREAFTER PENDING THE 1987 REVIEW, NO DECISIONS ON FURTHER CHANGES HAVE BEEN TAKEN. NO PRECONCEIVED IDEAS. WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO BRIEF THE CHINESE SIDE ON PLANS FOR THE FUTURE, SINCE SUCH PLANS DO NOT YET EXIST. SHALL TAKE CAREFUL ACCOUNT OF DEVELOPMENTS IN PUBLIC OPINION IN HONG KONG OVER THE NEXT 18 MONTHS, AS WE ASSUME THE CHINESE SIDE WILL ALSO BE DOING. THERE WILL THEN NEED TO BE A DISCUSSION DOCUMENT (GREEN PAPER).
12.
CHANGES IN THE EXISTING GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG SINCE THE ISSUANCE OF THE WHITE PAPER HAVE GIVEN RISE TO A CERTAIN
DISTURBING SITUATION
WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE CHINESE SIDE THINKS THIS AND WE DO NOT AGREE. THE PRIME MINISTER ASSURED PREMIER ZHAO ON 24 OCTOBER IN NEW YORK THAT THE PACE OF POLITICAL EVOLUTION WAS GOING VERY GENTLY. SIR GEOFFREY HOWE SIMILARLY TOLD FOREIGN MINISTER WU ON
4 JUNE IN LONDON THAT WE WERE PROCEEDING VERY CAREFULLY.
13.
A STUDY BE MADE OF THE ISSUES CALLING FOR CONSIDERATION AND
SOLUTION BY BOTH SIDES
AS I HAVE MENTIONED, WE HAVE TAKEN NO DECISIONS ON ANY FURTHER CHANGES AND CAN THEREFORE IDENTIFY NO ISSUES CALLING FOR CONSULTATION AND SOLUTION OURSELVES. NEVERTHELESS HAPPY TO HAVE
INFORMAL DIALOGUE ON CHINESE ANXIETIES.
HOWE
*HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RES D (MR WALKER)
PS
PS/MR FENTON
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
MR J CROWLEY PUSD
COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS NEWS DEPT MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVS MR MARTIN ASST STAFF
CABINET OFFICE
MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE MR DRC CHRISTOPHER
CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADDOCK NO 10 DOWNING ST. MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
CONFCINTIAL