CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 753
OF 311815Z MARCH 89
CONFIDENTIAL
MKB 011/3
7
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
229
106201
MDHOAN 8323
OUR TELNO 730:
FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ENQUIRY: BRIEFING BY
OFFICIALS ON 6 APRIL
1. THE FAC HAVE TAKEN UP THE OFFER OF A BACKGROUND BRIEFING SESSION WITH OFFICIALS, TO BE CHAIRED BY ROBIN MCLAREN ON 6 APRIL.
2.
AMONG THE SUBJECTS THE COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE US TO COVER ARE: A) HOW HONG KONG IS GOVERNED INTERNALLY, TAKING THE HMG'S MEMORANDUM AS A STARTING POINT. ACCORDING TO THE CLERK, THE BRIEFING SHOULD COVER HOW EXCO AND LEGCO WORK AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER: HOW THEY RELATE TO THE URBAN AND REGIONAL COUNCILS, THE DISTRICT BOARDS ETC: HOW HONG KONG IS RUN ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS: AND HOW THE PROCESS OF INFORMAL CONSULTATION WORKS IN PRACTICE, INCLUDING THE ROLE OF PROMINENT BUSINESSMEN. B) LOCALISATION OF HONG KONG CIVIL SERVICE AND HONG KONG POLICE: POLICY ON EXPATRIATE APPOINTMENTS AT SENIOR LEVELS: HOW THE HKG IS GOING ABOUT LOCALISATION: WHETHER IT HAS TO BE COMPLETED BY 1997: WHAT PRESSURES LOCALISATION IS PUTTING ON THE CIVIL SERVICE
ETC.
C) CHINA AND HONG KONG: THE ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE IN CHINA AND KEY PERSONALITIES DEALING WITH HONG KONG, INCLUDING THE STRUCTURE FOR HANDLING JLG WORK ON THE CHINESE SIDE: AND AREAS OF PARTICULAR SENSITIVITY FOR THE CHINESE IN RELATION TO THE ENQUIRY. 3. (FOR HONG KONG) THE CLERK ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ITEMS A) AND B) WERE PRIMARILY MATTERS FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT BUT EXPLAINED THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD FIND IT HELPFUL TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THE SYSTEM WORKED IN PRACTICE BEFORE THEY ARRIVED IN HONG KONG. WE WOULD THEREFORE BE MOST GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD LET US HAVE SPEAKING NOTES ON BOTH THESE SUBJECTS, DESKBY 04090OZ IF POSSIBLE.
(FOR PEKING AND UKREP JLG HONG KONG) ALTHOUGH THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND SIR A DONALD HAVE ALREADY BRIEFED THE COMMITTEE ON CHINESE SENSITIVITIES, THEY WOULD LIKE US TO GO OVER THIS GROUND AGAIN. WE HAVE PLENTY OF MATERIAL WHICH COULD BE SERVED
4.
UP AGAIN, BUT WOULD WELCOME ANY SUGGESTIONS YOU HAVE ON SPECIFIC POINTS WHICH SHOULD BE INCLUDED. ON WORK STRUCTURE, WE HAVE TODAY
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