MAXAAK (1)
CONFIDENTIAL
VISIT OF THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG TO LONDON, 21-23 FEBRUARY 1989
A: FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ENQUIRY INTO HONG KONG
Objective
To seek the Governor's views on his involvement in the FAC enquiry
and on the potential problems likely to arise from the Committee's
visit to Hong Kong.
Points to Make
Now that the Foreign Affairs Committee have decided to take
public formal evidence in Hong Kong, their visit is likely to be very high profile. But no decision yet on who they wish to see.
Critical issue is how to handle your involvement. Want to be as
co-operative as possible with the Committee. But your role is
obviously very sensitive in Hong Kong terms. Further consideration
is risk of setting unwelcome precedent for first Chief Executive of
SAR. Clearly wrong for you to have to give public evidence in Hong
Kong.
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Intend to speak to David Howell and Peter Shore about this.
Hope we can avoid need for you to give formal evidence and can
confine your involvement to private briefing.
But if Committee were to insist on taking formal evidence, would there by any ways of minimising the damage eg. by identifying certain less sensitive issues on which on-the-record evidence might be possible eg. prospects for Hong Kong economy, local aspects of Vietnamese boat people problem etc, or by giving evidence in London rather than Hong Kong?
CONFIDENTIAL
COMMITTEE ENQURY
FOREIGN AFFAIRS