TNAG-1230-FCO40-1543-Visit-by-Richard-Luce--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Com-1983 — Page 22

HKK.

CONFIDENTIAL

027120

23 SEP 1983

19518

1

A Taken

PP HONG KONG

GRS 176

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO 211200Z SEPT 83

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

문

INDEX

TELEGRAM NUMBER 940 OF 21 SEPTEMBER

AND TO SAVING BRUNEI (PERSONAL FOR ROBERTS, MR LUCE'S PARTY) INFO PEKING

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: LINE FOR MR LUCE TO TAKE AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG ON 28 SEPTEMBER

1.

MIFT (NOT REPEATED TO BRUNEI) CONTAINS A PROVISIONAL LINE FOR MR LUCE TO TAKE IN ANSWER TO A RANGE OF QUESTIONS LIKELY TO ARISE ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. MR LUCE'S PARTY HAVE COPIES WITH THEM.

2. DEVELOPMENTS BETWEEN NOW AND THE PRESS CONFERENCE

ON 28 SEPTEMBER MAY REQUIRE CHANGES TO SOME OF THESE

POINTS. THERE WILL ALSO NEED TO BE SOME ADDITIONS TO TAKE ACCOUNT

OF THE CONTINUING DECLINE OF THE HONG KONG DOLLAR AND THE HANG SENG INDEX, ARTICLES SUCH AS THE ONE IN THE PEOPLE'S DAILY OF 20 SEPTEMBER, AND THE OUTCOME OF THE TALKS ON 22/23 SEPTEMBER.

3.

WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS ON THIS PROVISIONAL MATERIAL AND ON OTHER POINTS WHICH MIGHT BE COVERED.

4.

WE HAVE ASSUMED THAT MR LUCE WILL BE ABLE TO ESCAPE QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA ON HIS ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG ON 24 SEPTEMBER.

HOWE

STR IAN SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

COPIES TO

LIMITED

MR BURROWS

ED/HKD

HD/FED

MR ROBERTS

HD/PLANNING STAFF

MR MARTIN

HD/PUSD

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

MR FLOWER

PS/MR LUCE

MR COLES

PS/FUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD MR WRIGHT

SIR A PARSONS

MR WALKER

LEGAL ADVISER

NEWS D

ASSESSMENTS STAFF

CABINET OFFICE

PUSD

NO 10 DOWNING STREET

NO 10 DOWNING STREET

RESEARCH D

OAB 2/3.

SAPEDANTING

83