TNAG-1154-FCO40-1434-Visits-by-Members-of-Parliament-(MPs)-to-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 128

CONFIDENTIAL

Тор сору

PP HONG KONG

GRS 142

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FM FCO 061658Z JUL 82

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 519 OF 6 JULY

FOR HIGGINSON FROM CLIFT

YOUR TEL NO 720: SELECT COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE

нин

13416

-

1

очок

CGE

No

8/2

1. THE BRIEFING WAS COMBINED WITH THAT ON JAPAN. ON HONG KONG THERE WAS ONLY TIME FOR A COMPARATIVELY BRIEF DISCUSSION. DONALD CONCENTRATED ON THE BACKGROUND TO THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, INCLUDING CHINESE ATTITUDES AND RECENT ASSURANCES, AND THE NEED TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE. THE DIFFERENCE FROM THE FALKLANDS ISSUE

WAS STRESSED. MEMBERS WERE TOLD ABOUT THE SENSITIVENESS OF THIS

ISSUE AND WERE GIVEN SUGGESTED LINES TO FOLLOW IF IT CAME UP

DURING THEIR VISIT, INCLUDING DISCOURAGING HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF PROGRESS DURING PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT.

2.

THERE WAS NO TIME FOR DISCUSSION OF THE ROLE OF THE

GARRISON BUT NO SIGN OF MISUNDERSTANDING ON THIS.

DID NOT RAISE ANY MAJOR POINTS IN DISCUSSION.

MEMBE RS

Pero siz

see (67)

PYM

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

MINIMAL

HKGD

1

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