211035Z JAN
IMMEDIATE
ADVANCE COPY
нии
146
DRWILSON
Linn 040/4 HKD12t
14
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
22 JAN 1986
NTD
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
DESK OFFICER
果
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 21120OZ FCO
INDEX
TELNO 223
OF 211035Z JANUARY 86
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
ias
YOUR TELNO 124: WHITE PAPER ON NATIONALITY: MR RENTON'S VISIT
TO HONG KONG.
1. YOU WILL SEE FROM MY TELNO 224 THAT THE BAND WAGGON HIS ROLLING
AND THAT WHEN HE ARRIVES ON THRUSDAY MR RENTON WILL FIND THE MEDIA
AND PUBLIC OPINION FIRMLY BEHIND THE LEGCO PROPOSALS. THE PRESS #S GEARING ITSELF UP FOR A MAJOR ROW, WHICH WILL NO DOUBT BE SEIZED ON BY THE FOREIGN PRESS FOR THEIR INTERNATIONAL SERVICES. IF THIS OCCURS THERE WILL BE A SUBSTANTIAL LOSS OF GOOD WILL AND CREDIBILITY ALL ROUND.
2. EVERY EFFORT MUST THEREFORE BE MADE TO USE MR RENTON'S VISIT TO DEFUSE THE SITUATION AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. IF ONE ADDITIONAL STEP
COULD BE AGREED BETWEEN NOW AND MR RENTON'S ARRIVAL THERE IS LITTLE
DOUBT THAT SOME OF THE HEAT WOULD BE TAKEN OUT OF THE ARGUMENT.
3. GIVEN WHAT WAS SAID IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS YESTERDAY (PARA 2 OF YOUR TELNO 124) AND THE LAST SENTENCE OF PARA 3 OF THAT TELEGRAM, IT WOULD NOT GO MUCH FURTHER TO SAY THAT, PROVIDING AN ACCEPTABLE FORMULA CAN BE FOUND, HMG WOULD AGREE TO AN APPROPRIATE ENDORSEMENT IN THE BN (0) PASSPORT. IF THIS IS TO BE THE EVENTUAL
POSITION IT WOULD BE FAR BETTER TO USE IT POSITIVELY NOW AS EVIDENCE
OF WILLINGNESS TO MEET LEGCO'S CONCERNS THAN TO HAVE IT DRAGGED
UNWILLINGLY OUT OF HMG AFTER A MAJOR ROW HERE. IF THIS STEP COULD BE TAKEN MR RENTON WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO TAKE A MORE POSITIVE LINE
BOTH WITH THE UNOFFICIALS AND AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE. THIS COULD
LEAD TO A STATEMENT SOMETHING ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:
THE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE CLEAR THAT, AS REGARDS AN ENDORSEMENT ON THE BN(0) PASSPORT, PROVIDING A SATISFACTORY FORMULA CAN BE FOUND HMG WILL AGREE TO IT BEING ENDORSED IN THE PASSPORTS. AS REGARDS THE