TNAG-1237-FCO40-1550-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 144

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CONFIDENTIAL

Mr Donald

Private

Secretary (Se

cc: PS/Lord Belstead

Sir J Bullard

Mr Giffard

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Seuety of State

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FUTURE OF HONG KONG: BRIEFING FOR OPPOSITION LEADERS

1.

The Prime Minister agreed in January that the Secretary of State could brief Opposition leaders provided there was only scant reference to the question of future sovereignty over Hong Kong (Mr Coles' letter of 7 January). Action was held up by the reconsideration of policy during the visit of the Governor and Ambassador in March and then by the decision to

brief Conservative backbenchers.

2. It would now be right to go ahead with the briefing of the Opposition. However it would be unrealistic to do this without going into the sovereignty question. We need the Prime Minister's authority for this. I submit a draft letter to No 10 seeking the Prime Minister's agreement to Mr Pym taking the same line as he took with the Conservative group

(brief attached).

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11 April 1983

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R D Clift

Hong Kong and General Department

It was right to wait till the Conservative MPs were briefed before vackling the Opposition leaders. We would not be able to give a briefing which did not have the sovereignty issure pretty much to the fore, Dr. Owen is already well informed And I should magine that AW. Healey is Voo. But the PM's instructions are tightly drawn "and clear the line's just with No 10.

CONFIDENTIAL

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