НКВ 026/15
CONFIDENTIAL
[HONG KONG : POSSIBLE CALL ON THE PRIME MINISTER BY DAME LYDIA DUNN]
1. From time to time during the negotiations leading to the Joint Declaration, the Unofficial Members of the Executive Council visited London and called on the Prime Minister. They did so as a group, with the Governor. There may also have been one or two calls by the Senior Member
(Dame Lydia's predecessor) alone. But it has not been the practice for the Prime Minister to receive the Senior Member of the Executive Council in recent years, largely because there has been no particular need for her to do so. The call by Dame Lydia and Mr Allen Lee on 23 June, in the immediate aftermath of the Tiananmen massacre, was of an exceptional character.
2. Another call so soon after the last one could create the expectation in Hong Kong that such calls will be a regular feature of Dame Lydia's visits (which are quite frequent). It should also be borne in mind that Dame Lydia and Mr Lee came away from their meeting on 23 June with the impression (quite unjustified) that the Prime Minister was more sympathetic on the nationality issue than Sir G Howe and the Foreign Office.
3.
I agree, however, that the balance of advantage lies in our commending the idea that the Prime Minister should see Dame Lydia, in particular for the reasons set out in the second half of paragraph 5 and paragraph 6 of Mr Paul's submission. I therefore support the recommendation.
14 September 1989
RJT McLaren
Cc: Mr Burns, News Dept
Mr Paul, HKD
eyini
Miss Marsden
Mr Stone 19/9
Wisla
MC1ABU
CONFIDENTIAL