TNAG-1233-FCO40-1546-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 97

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Hong Kong

When the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary called on the Prime Minister this morning, he said that he believed it would be helpful if he were to give Mr. Healey, Mr. Steel and Dr. Owen a briefing on the problem of the future of Hong Kong. Since we wished to maintain confidence in Hong Kong it was important to do all we could to ensure that Opposition spokesmen did not make statements in the House which would have the opposite effect.

After some discussion, the Prime Minister agreed that it would be useful for Mr. Pym to give those concerned the briefing with the aim of ensuring that so far as possible they said little about Hong Kong in the House. But she believed that it would be best for the briefing to contain as little as possible on our attitude towards the fundamental question of future sovereignty over Hong Kong.

John Holmes, Esq.,

Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

CONFIDENTIAL

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Lola Coles.