TNAG-1243-FCO40-1557-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 173

DSR 11 (Revised)

DRAFT:

FROM:

SECRET

minute/letter/teleletter/despatch/note

Secretary of State

DEPARTMENT:

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

TO:

Top Secret

Secret

Confidential

Restricted

Unclassified

PRIVACY MARKING

CAVEAT...

TEL. NO:

Rt Hon Viscount Whitelaw MC CH Lord President of the Council Privy Council Office Whitehall

1.

..In Confidence

TYPE: Draft/Final 1+

Reference

Your Reference

Copies to:

Sir R Armstrong

SUBJECT: LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME 1984-5: HONG KONG

I understand that our officials have begun

considering together the Government's legislative

programme for the 1984-5 session of Parliament.

Enclosures-flag(s)...........

2.

I should draw to your personal attention one (I would have tongur remote)

possibility which will not figure on the routine written

return made to the Cabinet Office by my officials. From

your membership of OD (K) you will be aware of the course

taken by our discussions with the Chinese Government on

the future of Hong Kong. At present it is very hard to

predict where these negotiations will lead, when they

might be concluded, or what might be the legislative

consequences.

Because of the extreme sensitivity of the

subject it would be wrong to make any overt contingency

arrangements at this stage. But you may wish to bear in

mind the possibility that during the 1984-5 session of

Parliament it may be necessary to envisage the introduction

of a bill which would provide for the transfer of

sovereignty over the ceded parts of Hong Kong to the

People's Republic of China in 1997.

SECRET

/3.