TNAG-1225-FCO40-1538-Visits-to-the-UK-by-official-and-unofficial-members-of-the-E-1983 — Page 23

HKK.026/5

RECEIVED IN REGÍSTRY.

FOR 22 JUL 1803

DES

INDEX

H

PA

etion 1.

(116)

CONFIDENTIAL

NO

6492

PP HONG KONG

GRS 221

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO 211430Z JUL

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

(104)

TELEGRAM NUMBER 664 OF 21 JULY

FOR GOVERNOR FROM CLIFT

FROM

YOUR TELNO 973: RECORDS OF UNOFFICIALS MEETINGS IN LONDON

1. RECORDS HAVE BEEN SENT BY BAG TO YOU (SECRETARY OF STATE'S

AND PRIME MINISTER'S MEETINGS) AND TO HIGGINSON (MR LUCE'S

MEETING.)

2.

NO 10 CAN NOT (NOT) AGREE TO RECORD OF PRIME MINISTER'S

MEETING BEING SHOWN TO EXCO OR ANY DIGEST OF IT GIVEN TO THEM

IN WRITING. THEY CANNOT ESTABLISH A PRECEDENT WHICH MIGHT GIVE

VISITORS THE NOTION THAT THEY COULD QUERY THE RECORDS OF MEETINGS

WITH THE PRIME MINISTER

3. THERE IS NO OBJECTION HOWEVER TO YOUR DRAWING ORALLY ON THE

RECORD OF THE PM'S MEETING IN BRIEFING EXCO.

4. YOU MAY SHOW THE RECORDS OF THE MEETING WITH THE SECRETARY

OF STATE AND MR LUCE TO EXCO UNDER THE PROCEDURES WHICH YOU

DESCRIBE. AT THE SAME TIME GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD UNDERLINE THAT

THIS IS AN EXCEPTIONAL PRACTICE (COVERING THE SPECIAL CASE OF

THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE) AND DISCOURAGE THEM FROM ANY

ATTEMPT TO QUERY THE RECORDS. YOU SHOULD NOT GIVE THE IMPRESSION

THAT WE ARE NECESSARILY UNDERTAKING TO SHOW THEM IN FUTURE

RECORDS IN THE SAME STYLE AS THOSE WHICH ARE AT PRESENT UNDER CONSIDERATION (FOR YOUR INFORMATION WE MIGHT IN FUTURE PRODUCE FOR THIS PURPOSE RECORDS OF MAIN POINTS DISCUSSED, WITHOUT

ATTRIBUTION TO INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS).

HOWE

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

LIMITED

HKD

FED

PS

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

MR DONALD

CONFIDENTIAL

+