TNAG-0525-FCO40-620-Visit-of-UK-Members-of-Parliament-(Defence-and-External-Affa-1975 — Page 17

CONFIDENTIAL covering SECRET

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Mr Cortage

Cortary With

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Uu. O'Keefe

172

7/1

or

T=.29/12

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HONG KONG: EVIDENCE GIVEN TO THE DEFENCE AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

SUB-COMMITTEE

1. You asked to what text Peking telegram no. 1073 of 9 December relates.

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2.

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Peking's telegram was in answer to FCO telegram no. 883 of 8 December which contained the text of certain questions which the Defence and External Affairs Sub-Committee (DEASC) of the House of Commons Select Committee on Expenditure were expected to put to FCO witnesses (Mr Hawley/Mr O'Keeffe) the following day and of the proposed replies. Peking's suggested changes were incorporated in the final text of the material to be used with the DEASC.

3.

In the event, not surprisingly, the questions relating to the future of Hong Kong and Chinese attitudes were not put

quite in the form anticipated. I attach the relevant extract from the transcript of the proceedings of the DEASC on 9 December together with a copy of Mr O'Keeffe's minute of 17 December to Mr Sloman in the PCCU asking for some amendments and a certain amount of sidelining.

22 December 1975

CC

Mr Martin, FED

D.F. Meille

D F Milton

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.

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