GRS250 'CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 21
OF 03103OZ JANUARY 86
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
YOUR TELNO 1104: MR RENTON'S PRESS CONFERENCE
Ministes.
2 for ther
papers
this subject,
which беспел
norm
1. THERE WILL OF COURSE BE INTENSE INTEREST AMONG THE PRESS HERE IN MR RENTON'S VISHT, AND IT IS INEVITABLE THAT DIFFICULT ISSUES WILL BE RAISED AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE.
2. HE WILL BE IN HONG KONG JUST AFTER THE DEBATES IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND HOUSE OF LORDS ON THE NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL. HE WILL BE QUESTIONED CLOSELY ON THE ATTITUDE WHICH HMG WILL
ADOPT ON THE REPRESENTATIONS MADE BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON ENDORESEMENTS OF THE RIGHT TO LAND IN THE UK ON BN(0) PASSPORTS, AND BRITISH CITIZENSHIP FOR MINORITIES SUCH AS THE INDIANS.
3. THERE WILL THEREFORE NEED TO BE A MEANS OF INFORMING HIM
OF THE OUTCOME OF THE LORDS DEBATE WITH RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE LINE HE SHOULD TAKE AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE ON IT.
pulting in the Forde R
4. HE WILL ALSO BE CLOSELY QUESTIONED ABOUT HMG'S ATTITUDE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG: THE CONTENT OF ANY DISCUSSIONS HE WILL HAVE HAD WITH THE CHINESE ON THE QUESTION OF CONVERGENCE BETWEEN OUR PLANS AND THE BASIC LAW: ON WHETHER THE CHINESE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A VETO ON OUR PLANS: AND ON HMG'S ATTITUDE TO SUCH MATTERS AS DIRECT ELECTIONS. THE CHINESE WILL NO DOUBT ALSO BE LISTENING CAREFULLY TO WHAT HE SAYS ON THIS MATTER. WE SHALL TELEGRAPH SHORTLY THE KEY QUESTIONS WHICH ARE LIKELY TO BE PUT TO HIM ON THESE ISSUES SO THAT PRELIMINARY ANSWERS CAN BE CONSIDERED BEFORE HE LEAVES LONDON.
5. TRADE ISSUE ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE RAISED BUT IT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED THAT SOME QUESTIONS ON TRADE MATTERS WILL BE THROWN AT HIM BY CORRESPONDENTS. YOU AND THE DTIL WILL NO DOUBT WISH TO GIVE HIM A CAREFUL BRIEF ON THIS ASPECT.
WE WILL BE VERY READY TO OFFER A CONTRIBUTION TO IT.
YOUDE
LIMITED
FED
HKD
PROTOCOL. D.
NTO
PS/MR. RENTON PS/PUS
MR. WILSON
CONFIDENTIAL
C.