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of the draft Sino-British Agreement on the future of Hong
Kong was conducted by an independent assessment office,
separate from the ordinary machinery of the Hong Kong
Government, and its work was closely observed by a
monitoring team appointed by the Secretary of State for
Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs. One of the two monitors
was a former United Kingdom civil servant, and the other a
Hong Kong High Court Judge. At the meeting on the 24th
November, Members agreed that neither of these two
arrangements would be appropriate for the 1987 Review.
3.
It is important that:
a) the Hong Kong Government must be seen to be
capable of undertaking an impartial assessment
of public opinion on this matter;
b). the suggestion be avoided that the survey
is being monitored by the British (or the
Chinese) Government;
and
c) it be understood that the issues to be
discussed in the 1987 Review are significant but
not of the ultimate significance as was the
acceptability of the draft Sino-British
Agreement.
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