布政司署 香港下亞厘畢道
SECRETT
PA
N23138
GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT
LOWER ALBERT ROAD
HONG KONG
本署檔號 Our Ref:
GRC 2/4/1
來函檔號 Your Ref.:
MON DR
16 March 1988
Miss PM Barnes
Head, Library and Records
Department
FCO London
- HUD 444
TA MAR 1988
Dear Pak
Hong Kong Government Records
!
1 In the course of the sensitivity review of HKG records by the Political Adviser's Office we have touched on a
relating matter
to future access to records by the public. It would have arisen in due course when HKG of the developed its access
as part arrangements general overhaul of government records policy but, as
raised elsewhere it
review,
may sensitivity approach now.
be
context of the
our clarify
in
the
I should
like
to
2
It
when
concerns identification of and action on HKG records which contain documents originated by HMG that might have been withheld by the UK government considering the release of material under the 30 year
problem same
exists
in
The rule.
reverse for HKG documents sent to UK and now forming part of HMG's archives.
3
I
think
desirable that,
the
where
practicable
and it without limiting the autonomy of either party in this, access decisions by HK/UK governments in respect of classes of documents originated by the other should be consistent. There may already be a procedure for this with other countries. I seem to recall from my time in
that Canberra
Australian UK consulted the
records Abdication
held in the government over Commonwealth archives and again on a number of other categories when the 2 countries' access policies got out of phase.
I'd be grateful for your thoughts on this, including the potential it offers post 1997 for ongoing liaison with the SARG on this issue.
SECRET