GRS 200
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TOPE
FROM PEKING 210825Z JUNE 85
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 964 OF 21/6/85
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
(48
Hux 040/21 Ник CCR5
EVREGISTRY
24
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
MY TELNO 957: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE
1. JI PENGFE WAS THE SENIOR CHINESE TO COME TO MY RECEPTION FOR THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY ON 20 JUNE. I SPENT ABOUT 40 MINUTES TALKING TO HIM. PERHAPS TEN MINUTES OF OUR CONVERSATION CONCERNED HONG
KONG.
2. CONGRATULATED JI ON HIS APPOINTMENT AS CHAIRMAN OF THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE. SAYING THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR A COMMITTEE OF 59 MEMBERS TO HAVE DISCIPLINED DISCUSSION OF A SUBJECT AS COMPLI- CATED AS THE BASIC LAW., I ASKED JI HOW OFTEN HE EXPECTED THE COMMITTEE TO MEET. HE REPLIED THAT IT WOULD NOT MEET MORE THAN THREE OF FOUR TIMES A YEAR AND THAT MOST OF THE 'BASIC WORK'' WOULD BE DONE BY ITS SECRETARIAT. HE CLAIMED THAT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WHO HAD EXPECTED TO BE APPOINTED TO THE COMMITTEE, BUT HAD NOT BEEN, WERE PROTESTING TO THE CHINESE ABOUT THEIR EXCLUSION. HE GAVE NO NAMES.
3. JI SAID THAT HE HAD NEVER BEEN TO HONG KONG. THIS COULD PUT HIM AT A DISADVANTAGE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE. HE THEREFORE HOPED THAT IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO VISIT HONG KONG IN DUE COURSE. HE DID NOT MENTION A TIME BY WHICH HE HOPED TO DO THIS AND I DID NOT
PRESS HIM TO DO SO.
4. J WAS AS PEDESTRIAN AS EVER. BUT HE SMOKED AND DRANK WHISKY WITH APPARENT RELISH. HE STRUCK ME GENERALLY AS BEING IN GOOD SHAPE FOR HIS 75 YEARS.
R
Y
Vi laken
J
EVANS
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER) PS
PS/R LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR W HARD ING
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
MR J CROWLEY, PUSD
COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)
- MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
OFFICE
MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE KR DR C CHRISTOPHER. CABINET OFF. SIR P CRADDOCK, No. 10 DOWNING ST.
CONFIDENTIAL
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