CONFIDENTIAL
TELNO 3161
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
DEC
HRS 011/4
COPY
0 7 DEC 1987
OF 02174OZ NOVEMBER 87
INEX
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
01/4
016564
MDLOAN 516T
53
YOUR TELNOS 4518/9, 4535 AND 4550: ANNUAL REPORT ON HONG KONG
1.
(FIRST TUR) PARAS A AND C: WE AGREE. WE HAVE NOW COMBINED THE FIRST AND SECOND SENTENCES OF PARA 2 OF THE LAND
COMMISSION SECTION TO READ QUOTE THE COMMISSION REACHED AGREEMENT
ON A LAND DISPOSAL PROGRAMME OF 74.84 HECTARES FOR THE PERIOD 1
APRIL 1987 TO 31 MARCH 1988 UNQUOTE. THANK YOU FOR THE FIGURE IN
PARA B.
2.
3.
(SECOND TUR) PARAS A AND B: WE AGREE.
(THIRD TUR). WE AGREE WITH AMENDMENTS IN PARAS 2 (AS AMENDED BY LAST TUR), 3, AND 5-7. PARA 4: WE TAKE YOUR POINT BUT WOULD PREFER NOT TO FOLLOW THE WORDING USED IN THE PRESS LINE (PEKING TELNO 1975). WE WOULD SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING QUOTE THERE
WAS A COMMON UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ON THE
PROVISIONAL PLANS OF THE BRITISH SIDE FOR THE PHASED WITHDRAWAL
OF THE BRITISH GARRISON FROM HONG KONG UNQUOTE.
4
(FOURTH TUR). WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING THE FULL
DRAFT REPORT AND ANY FURTHER COMMENTS YOU MAY HAVE.
5.
·
BECAUSE OF DEVELOPMENTS AT THIS END WE MAY NOW HAVE TO
REVISE THE PROPOSED PUBLICATION TIME OF LATE JANUARY (PARA 1 F CO
TELNO 2773) AND MOVE INSTEAD TO PUBLICATION IN EARLY JANUARY.
THIS IS BECAUSE A DEBATE ON HONG KONG IN THE COMMONS IS LIKELY TO
TAKE PLACE (AT OPPOSITION REQUEST) SOON AFTER THE CHRISTMAS
RECESS. IT WOULD BE DESIRABLE FOR THIS YEAR'S REPORT TO BE
AVAILABLE IN ADVANCE OF THE DEBATE. WE DO NOT KNOW AT THIS STAGE
THE DATE OF THE DEBATE, BUT IN ORDER TO MEET THE LIKELY TIMING REQUIREMENTS, WE THINK WE SHOULD AIM TO CLEAR THE TEXT OF THE REPORT WITH EXCO AND MINISTERS BEFORE CHRISTMAS. WE HOPE THIS
WILL BE MANAGEABLE AT YOUR END. WE SHALL DO OUR BEST TO COMMENT
QUICKLY ON YOUR DRAFT AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE IT.
HOWE
YYYY