RESTRICTED
004513 MDHOAN 077
5. DESPITE THE ABSURDITY OF THE TIMING, THIS WAS A SERIOUS DEBATE WHICH HAS SERVED TO UNDERLINE PARLIAMENT'S CONTINUING
CONCERN ABOUT HONG KONG AND TO PLACE CLEARLY ON RECORD THAT ITS
INTEREST IN THE BASIC LAW IS IN THE CONTEXT OF ITS INTEREST IN
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.
6.
WU XUEQUAN AND HIS PARTY SHOWED MINIMAL INTEREST IN THE
DEBATE WHEN IT WAS REFERRED TO BRIEFLY IN THE COURSE OF THE
SECRETARY OF STATE'S TALKS WITH WU ON HONG KONG TODAY. THEY MADE
NO SUBSTANTIVE
COMMENT.
HOWE
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
50
ΜΑΙΝ
49
HONG KONG AGREEMENT RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH (FE)
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR MCLAREN
MR GILLMORE
PUSD
ADDITIONAL
1
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
NNNN
PAGE
2
RESTRICTED
{