CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 011/3
30.AN1989
34
035617
MDHIAN 0361
X
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 122
OF 300913Z JANUARY 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
Taken
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
HONG KONG: PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR.
BTC HONG KONG: PERSONAL FOR HOLLOWAY.
YOUR TELNO 274 TO HONG KONG.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ENQUIRY INTO HONG KONG.
1.
OF THE DATES OFFERED AT PARA 3(D) OF TUR FOR THE FAC'S VISIT TO PEKING, THE WEEKS BEGINNING 23 APRIL OR 6 MAY WOULD BE PREFERABLE FROM OUR OWN POINT OF VIEW. OTHERS WOULD BE MANAGEABLE BUT VERY DIFFICULT. (WE NOTE THAT THE COMMITTEE
THIS PLAN TO RETURN HOME FROM PEKING ON A WEDNESDAY EVENING. WOULD PRESUMABLY MEAN TRAVELLING BY CAAC AS BA'S SERVICES TO LONDON OPERATE ONLY ON THURSDAYS AND SUNDAYS).
2.
THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION, HOWEVER, IS WHETHER THE CHINESE WILL BE CONTENT TO RECEIVE A VISIT BY THE COMMITTEE ON ANY OF THESE DATES. AS WE UNDERSTAND IT, ALTHOUGH THE CHINESE ARE AWARE OF THEIR PLANS THE COMMITTEE HAVE MADE NO FORMAL APPROACH SO FAR NOR DISCUSSED WHO SHOULD BE THEIR FORMAL HOSTS (PARA 2 OF MY TELNO 104). WE WOULD ADVISE THAT THEY TAKE UP THESE POINTS AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE WITH THE CHINESE EMBASSY IN LONDON. YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE FAC TO MAKE THE INITIAL APPROACH THEMSELVES, SO THAT THE CHINESE DO NOT ASSUME THAT THIS VISIT IS GOVERNMENT SPONSORED.
3. AT THIS STAGE AND GIVEN THE LACK OF PRECEDENT IT IS HARD TO FROM THE SAY WHAT IDEAS THE CHINESE MIGHT HAVE ON A PROGRAMME. COMMITTEE'S VIEWPOINT, THE BEST CONTACTS ON BASIC LAW MATTERS WOULD BE:
THE STATE COUNCIL HONG KONG AND MACAO OFFICE, WHERE THEY WOULD STAND A GOOD CHANCE OF BEING RECEIVED BY JI PENGFEI. THE NPC ITSELF (TO EXPLAIN HOW EXAMINATION AND DRAFTING WORK ON THE BL WILL BE CARRIED FORWARD).
1
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL