CONFIDENTIAL
Reference
AI
CODE 18-77
Mr Paul
Boul
SEMINAR ON HONG KONG
1.
Mr Bughs
May
we discussi Miz 300/
가
W%
You asked me to look into the best way of meeting the
Secretary of State's interest in holding a sandwich lunch
seminar on Hong Kong along similar lines to one on the
Soviet Union which took place last month. Jonathan Powell
has suggested, in his 18 April minute, that Andrew Burns
should coordinate' such a seminar. Given all Mr Burns'
current preoccupations, this does not look such a good idea.
On the face of it, it would seem to be something the
Planners themselves might undertake, although the Soviet seminar was arranged by Soviet Department. It might be easier to decide who should do the organising once we have
decided what sort of event we are after.
2.
The Soviet seminar was attended by 15 people altogether: 10 senior 'insiders' (including two Mininsters, the PUS and
John Weston) and 5 from outside the FCO. [Peter Frank
(University of Essex), Professor Lawrence Freedman (King's
College, London) Professor Alex Nove (University of Glasgow), Edward Mortimer (Financial Times) and the Political Director of the Auswärtiges Amt]. The idea was to get a mix of experts on the Soviet Union with other broader specialisms, eg arms control, economics, policy-making in general, so as to stimulate wider discussion.
3.
The case of Hong Kong is rather different from the Soviet Union. From our point of view, the parameters for useful discussion are much narrower and there is less relevant expertise outside the office except of course in Hong Kong. Unless we are prepared to contemplate policy options outside those contained in the Joint Declaration (which I assume we are not), we are looking at a discussion
HUGADQ/1
CONFIDENTIAL