CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
63
113020 MDHOAN 4925
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 15010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 403
OF 14191OZ FEBRUARY 89
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
НКВ оп
13
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD
BTC HONG KONG:
YOUR TELNO 464:
1.
PERSONAL FOR HOLLOWAY
(62)
FAC ENQUIRY INTO HONG KONG
WE STILL AWAIT THE CLERK'S FORMAL LETTER SETTING OUT THE COMMITTEE'S INITIAL REQUESTS FOR WRITTEN AND ORAL EVIDENCE. THIS HAS BEEN DELAYED BECAUSE THE COMMITTEE FAILED TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION OF EVIDENCE AT THEIR MEETING ON 8 FEBRUARY. THE LETTER IS NOW EXPECTED TO ISSUE LATER THIS WEEK FOLLOWING THEIR NEXT MEETING ON 15 FEBRUARY.
2. IN THE MEANTIME WE ARE WORKING ON THE INITIAL MEMORANDUM TO BE SUBMITTED BY 1 MARCH, WHICH COVERS THE ENQUIRY'S TERMS OF REFERENCE, PLUS VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, EMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY POLICY. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CLERK'S LETTER WILL ALSO INVITE US TO SUBMIT ANY ADDITIONAL CONFIDENTIAL BRIEFING (IE NOT FOR PUBLICATION) WHICH WE THINK THE COMMITTEE SHOULD SEE BEFORE THEY BEGIN THEIR ENQUIRY. THE COMMITTEE WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY ASK FOR FURTHER PAPERS AS THEIR WORK PROGRESSES.
3.
AT THIS STAGE OUR INCLINATION IS NOT TO VOLUNTEER ADDITIONAL MEMORANDA AND SIMPLY TO RESPOND TO THE COMMITTEE'S REQUESTS AS THEY ARISE. BUT WE CANNOT TAKE A FINAL VIEW UNTIL WE KNOW MORE ABOUT THE COMMITTEE'S LIKELY REQUIREMENTS. IN ANY CASE, WE WOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS WITH YOU IN MORE DETAIL DURING YOUR VISIT.
4.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF DRAFTING COULD BE SET IN HAND ON THE VARIOUS SUBJECTS SUGGESTED IN PARA 1 (A) (B) (D - LAND COMMISSION), (E - LOCAL PERCEPTIONS) AND (G), AND PARA 2 OF TUR. THIS WOULD BE INVALUABLE FOR OUR OWN BRIEFING PURPOSES AND FOR POSSIBLE SUBMISSION BY US TO THE COMMITTEE. AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALREADY PURSUING OUR OWN PREPARATORY RESEARCH, BUT THIS WOULD NOT DUPLICATE THE WORK YOU HAVE PROPOSED.
5.
INCIDENTALLY THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS ASKED TO SEE ALL PAPERS THAT ARE SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEE. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, HE IS TAKING A VERY CLOSE INTEREST IN ALL ASPECTS OF THIS ENQUIRY.
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