CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 47
OF 061715Z JANUARY 89
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 011/3
141343
MDHOAN 2159
४
FOLLOWING STRICTLY PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM HUM, HKD FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ENQUIRY INTO HONG KONG
1. YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THE HOUSE OF COMMONS FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ARE VERY CLOSE TO A DECISION TO UNDERTAKE AN ENQUIRY INTO HONG KONG. THE COMMITTEE WILL PROBABLY MAKE UP THEIR MINDS NEXT WEEK
2. WE ARE VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE UNDESIRABLE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS. SO TOO IS THE SECRETARY OF STATE. THE COMMITTEE ARE BOUND TO WANT TO TRAVEL TO HONG KONG TO TAKE EVIDENCE, AND PROBABLY TO PEKING TOO. IN HONG KONG THEY WILL BE THE OBJECT OF INTENSE MEDIA INTEREST AND OF REPRESENTATIONS FROM EVERY PRESSURE GROUP UNDER THE SUN.
3. YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THAT OUR ABILITY TO INFLUENCE THE COURSE THE ENQUIRY MIGHT TAKE IS VERY LIMITED INDEED. YOU CAN BE CERTAIN HOWEVER THAT TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE WE SHALL SEEK TO GUIDE IT INTO RELATIVELY CONSTRUCTIVE CHANNELS. IT WOULD BE RELATIVELY INNOCUOUS IF THE COMMITTEE CONCENTRATED ON HOW HMG ARE FULFILLING THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARDS HONG KONG AND WORKING TO SECURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION ON THE BASIS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. IT WOULD BE DISTINCTLY LESS HELPFUL IF THE COMMITTEE FOCUSED ON THE PACE AND NATURE OF PROGRESS TOWARDS REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, OR ON BRITISH INTERESTS IN HONG KONG AS DISTINCT FROM OUR UPHOLDING OF HONG KONG'S INTERESTS. 4. ROBIN MCLAREN AND ALAN PAUL WILL GIVE YOU MORE OF THE BACKGROUND WHEN THEY ARRIVE.
HOWE
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