TNAG-1237-FCO40-1550-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 152

Mr Clift (HK&GD)

CONFIDENTIAL

HṛR040/1

31 MAR 1983

224

MICHISH

Future of Hong Kong:

Briefing for Conservative Party

Backbenchers

97

The Secretary of State briefed a small group of Conservative backbenchers about Hong Kong on 30 March. The group consisted of Mr Tom Arnold, Sir Paul Bryan, Sir Anthony Kershaw, Sir Anthony Royle and Mr Peter Bottomley, as well as Mr Michael Hamilton, the Secretary of State's PPS. The Secretary of State drew on the briefing which you provided. The group seemed content with this and raised no points of difficulty.

The Secretary of State separately spoke to Mr Ray Whitney on 29 March. He was less relaxed and inclined to suggest that we should take a leaf out of the Chinese book and sit and wait for them to make a move. Chasing after the Chinese would not produce the right results.

30 March 1983

cc:

PS

PS/Lord Belstead

PS/PUS

Mr Giffard

Mr Donald

Head (FED)

Јана

4. Holmes

(J E Holmes)

Extin

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dore Af 31/3.

bank

Hi CLIFT

37,

CONFIDENTIAL