TNAG-0568-FCO40-701-Planning-paper-on-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 147

IMMEDIATE

GPS 600A (YHER/CAT A

I F C O 271830Z SECRET

DESKBY 280030Z

R

K SECRET

2 MAN 1976

MILK 013/328/1

MILKOB/

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TEL NO 141 OF 27 FEB

PERSONAL FOR COVERMOR FROM CORTAZZI.

ki:

20

YOUR TELEPHONE CONVERSATION OF 24 FEBRUARY WITH O'KEEFFE,

1. THE PUS WHO IS AT PRESENT ABROAD WANTED THE PLANNING MEETING TO PE HELD ON 11 MARCH TO CONSIDER THE PAPERS ON JAPAN, CHINA AND HONG KONG TOGETHER. EVEN THIS WILL LEAVE US LITTLE TIME FOR THE FURTHER

REVISIONS WHICH WILL BE NECESSARY BEFORE SUBMISSION TO THE

SECRETARY OF STATE,

2. WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR DESPATCH OF 13 FEBRUARY ON THE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG. THIS WAS IN LINE WITH OUR OWN THINKING

AND HAS BEEN USED TO REFINE AND AMPLIFY THE FIRST PART OF THE DRAFT

PLANNING PAPER COVERING THE CHINESE INTEREST IN HONG KONG AND THE

POLICY WHICH SHOULD BE FOLLOWED IN DECIDING WHEN AND HOW TO APPROACH

THEM ABOUT THE LONGER TESM FUTURE OF THE CCLONY,

3. AT A MEETING SHORTLY AFTER YOUR DEPARTURE FROM LONDON THE PUS

SAID THAT YOU HAD ALSO AGREED TO WRITE A SECOND DESPATCH COVERING

THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S INTERNAL POLICIES ON THE ASSUMPTION,

WHICH WE SHARE, THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL CONTINUE TO DE CONSTITUTIONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COLONY FOR THE NEXT DECADE (AT LEAST), AS WE UNDERSTAND IT, HE WANTED THE PLANNING COMMITTEE TO HAVE YOUR VIEWS ON THE POSSIBILITIES, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT LOCAL FACTORS, SET BESIDE THE OFFICE VIEWS ON WHAT IS DESIRADLE AS SEEN FROM LONDON. OUR AIM WOULD, OF COURSE, BE TO RECONCILE THE TWO VIEWS TO THE MAXIMUM DEGREE POSSIBLE IN THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE PAPER TO BE PUT TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE, IN VIEW OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ISSUES (AND INDEED OF THE VISIT ITSELF), WE THINK THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU COULD RETURN FOR CONSULTATIONS AND ARE SO

RECOMMENDING TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

40

WE REALISE THAT THE PREPARATION OF THE SECOND DESPATCH COVERING A VIDE FIELD PRESENTS DIFFICULTIES: AND WE KNOW THAT THE PUS

SECRET

/WANTS