CONFIDENTIAL
Background and Argument
4.
A
B
The background to the meeting with Wu was described in
my submission of 27 March, I submitted then for a
a "first
reading" the papers which it is proposed that the Secretary
of State might give to Wu. These are being revised in the
light of subsequent developments and will be resubmitted in
due course. We have also sent a telegram to Hong Kong and
Peking (FCO telno 765) describing how we see the objectives
and tactics for the meeting and inviting comments.
5.
The subject matter involved is fairly detailed. The
Secretary of State might find it helpful to discuss it at
an office meeting a little in advance of his encounter with
Wu, So as to allow time for any further preparatory work
that is needed.
6.
It would be particularly useful for the Governor to attend that meeting. The subject matter of the discussion
with Wu will cover present administrative practice in Hong
Kong, the changes that might be introduced there as a result of the 1987 review of representative government, and the state of local opinion on the issue in Hong Kong. The Governor is obviously the best qualified to contribute on all these points. Moreover where the drafting of the Basic
Law is concerned the Governor is particularly well placed
(probably better than the Ambassador) to describe the
Chinese approach because of his access to Hong Kong
participants in the Basic Law Drafting Committee and to the
material which they have brought back from the recent
meeting of the Committee in Peking. However it would be
desirable if the Governor's return was not seen
connected too closely with the meeting with Wu. This would
be a little easier if it took place in the week before the
Brussels meeting. His journey to London could then be more
plausibly presented as
a routine visit for consultations,
such as he undertakes every 3 months or so. (The last was
in February.) The State Visit to Hong Kong in October
provides a further pretext.
as
CONFIDENTIAL