TNAG-0525-FCO40-620-Visit-of-UK-Members-of-Parliament-(Defence-and-External-Affa-1975 — Page 19

Pa

39. line 12

CONFIDENLLAL

"question" should read "questions".

Page 39, line 19

"right" should read "ripe".

Pages 39 and 40

The passage beginning "and frankly ... to solve.". It is very important that this passage be sidelined. The Chinese position on Hong Kong is a delicate one and it would be emphatically not in our interests publicly to cast doubt on their stated position.

Page 40. line 1

"of Hong Kong" should read "to Hong Kong" and "to future" should read "of future".

Page 40, lines 18-22

Again, it is very important to preserve public silence on what we know of the Chinese Government's attitude. The sentence "The future forecast." and the passage in the next sentence "and with

the future. should be sidelined.

...

confidence

...

Page 40. last two lines

?1

I would hope that the Committee would be prepared, in the interests of preserving our public position on Hong Kong, to delete the sentence "I think from the past.'

Page 41, line 5

"and" should read "but".

Page 41, line 7

I distinctly remember adding "But" after "theory," and before

"and change".

Page 42, line 2

A footnote should be added to "80,000" as follows:

"Annual average natural increase 1964-1974. In 1974 the figure was 63,000."

Page 43, line 10

The

The passage "and it is Council." should be sidelined. point here is that this matter is under consideration by the Governor but no final decision has been taken pending formal consultation with the Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils. might prejudice this desirable reform by premature public disclosure in the United Kingdom.

17 December 1975

CC

Mr Hawley

Aubluff

PL O'Keeffe

We

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.

Mr Goodison, SED

CONFIDENTIAL

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