CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 14010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 1088
OF 13160OZ JULY 92
CONFIDENTIAL
30
015307
MDHOAN 7249
TOP COPY Q DIST?
Malz
PERSONAL FOR DINHAM, GOVERNMENT HOUSE FROM RICKETTS, HKD
SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: DISCUSSION WITH THE GOVERNOR ON POLITICAL/CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES
1.
WE WILL HAVE TO PUT UP BRIEFING HERE FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG ON THURSDAY 16 JULY (ALTHOUGH WE MAY BE ABLE TO ADD TO IT AFTER THAT POINT).
2.
WE ARE SENDING A SEPARATE TELEGRAM TODAY CONFIRMING THE DETAILS OF THE PROGRAMME: YOU WILL SEE THAT THE
SECRETARY OF STATE AGREES WITH MR PATTEN'S IDEA OF DEVOTING THE SUNDAY EVENING OF HIS VISIT (26 JULY) TO AN INFORMAL SUPPER WITH THE GOVERNOR AND HIS POLICY TEAM TO LOOK AT THE FORTHCOMING
POLITICAL/CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES.
3. I GAVE YOU IN LONDON COPIES OF TWO PAPERS WE HAD PREPARED FOR MR PATTEN: A CRITICAL PATH SETTING OUT A POSSIBLE SEQUENCE FOR THE MAIN DECISIONS: AND A PAPER ON OPTIONS FOR ADJUSTING THE EXCO/LEGCO RELATIONSHIP. I WAS INTENDING TO GIVE THE SECRETARY OF STATE COPIES OF THESE PAPERS, TOGETHER WITH A CHECKLIST IDENTIFYING THE MAIN ISSUES. BUT BEFORE DOING SO, I THOUGHT IT WORTH CHECKING TO SEE WHETHER THINKING AT YOUR END HAD MOVED ON FROM THIS POINT, AND WHETHER YOU WERE LIKELY TO BE PRODUCING ANY PAPER WHICH WOULD BE A BETTER BASIS FOR PREPARING THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE DISCUSSION ON 26 JULY.
·
4 IF ANYONE AT YOUR END WAS PRODUCING A FURTHER PAPER ON THESE ISSUES, WE WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE A COPY IF AT ALL POSSIBLE DESKBY 0930 ON 16 JULY, SO THAT WE CAN SPLICE IT INTO THE
BRIEFING HERE.
HURD
YYYY
HKD 026/14
YE! 1997
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL
1