·
CONFIDENTIAL
18)
བ མ་ ་ མ ་ -ཏ ཁ གས་ག ད
00 HONG KONG
GRS 245
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 081030Z FEB 85
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 230 OF 8 FEB
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
5254 2
HKK 040/12
~
•
YOUR TELNO 252: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: ANNUAL REPORT TO PARLIAMENT
1. MR LUCE ANNOUNCED DURING THE COMMITTEE STAGE IN THE HOUSE OF
COMMONS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD PRODUCE AN ANNUAL REPORT ON HONG
KONG AND LAY IT BEFORE THE HOUSE. HE SAID 'THE EXACT FORM HAS NOT
YET BEEN DECIDED AND THE MATTER IS TO BE DISCUSSED FURTHER WITH THE
GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG, BUT IT IS EXPECTED TO INCLUDE A GENERAL ACCOUNT OF DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG DURING THE PRECEDING YEAR'.
HE WENT ON TO SAY: 'AS TO WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE A DEBATE ON THE ANNUAL REPORT, THE HOUSE MAY WISH TO JUDGE WHETHER A DEBATE IS DESIRABLE OR USEFUL IN THE LIGHT OF THE REPORT. IF THE HOUSE TAKES
THAT VIEW THE MATTER CAN THEN BE PURSUED THROUGH THE USUAL CHANNELS. EQUALLY, THE GOVERNMENT OR THE HOUSE MAY JUDGE ON SOME OTHER OCCASION THAT A DEBATE SHOULD TAKE PLACE BECAUSE SOMETHING SPECIAL
HAS ARISEN.'
2. MR LUCE WAS NOT PRESSED ON WHETHER THE REPORT WOULD TOUCH ON
THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP.
3. MINISTERS AGREE WITH YOU THAT THE FORMAT OF A REPORT SET OUT
IN PARA 2 OF TUR IS PREFERABLE TO THE GLOSSY HONG KONG YEAR BOOK.
WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR FURTHER THOUGHTS ON THE PRODUCTION
OF THE REPORT IN DUE COURSE. WE ASSUME YOU WOULD PROPOSE TO
START THE REPORTS IN NOVEMBER THIS YEAR.
HOWE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
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 HARDING
MR WILSON
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 BRC CHRISTOPHER, CABINET OFF. SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST
SIR J FREELAND
MR J CROWLEY, PUSD
CONFIDENTIAL.
25)