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3.
The purpose of the Annual Report, as you know, is to keep Parliament informed of developments in Hong Kong on a regular basis an undertaking given by Sir Geoffrey Howe, then Foreign Secretary, in 1985. This offers in theory a fairly wide scope as far as content is concerned though the present format has been favoured in the past. The primary audience is presumably Parliament in London. And on that
basis there would be a good case for cutting down, if not completely out, some of the detailed paragraphs on social and economic matters (eg the number of children in primary school; the comprehensive sewage strategy etc). But the Report is also published in Hong Kong. If we were to slant it overmuch towards the political issues of interest to HMG and pay too little attention to the sort of things that affect the well-being of the people of Hong Kong it might be seen in Hong Kong as indicating HMG's lack of concern for
them.
4. It might be best not to attempt too radical a departure from the present model, since we have no particular reason this year to attract attention to the Report either in London or in Hong Kong. We might aim to make it shorter, through reducing all sections apart from those where developments have been either significant or problematic. We could tell Hong Kong that our aim in shortening the document is to make it more easily readable, which would give us the opportunity to make a point about style as well. Perhaps Lord Caithness might write the foreword this year - as a token of his personal interest in Hong Kong.
5.
Any thoughts or reactions would be most welcome.
OAKABJ/2
k.
Sander
KAM Saunders
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