TNAG-1263-FCO40-1606-Parliamentary-contacts-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 102

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr Crift, Hong Kong Dept

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54

Future of Hong Kong: Briefing of Conservative Back Benchers

and of the Opposition

The Secretary of State has seen Mr Warren-Gash's minute of 21 October recording Mr Luce's meeting with Sir Peter Blaker and others. He agrees that parliamentary interest in Hong Kong will be keen. He also agrees that back benchers will not react well to being kept in the dark and accepts that an early ministerial statement on Hong Kong would be helpful. On this he has also considered your submission of 21 October on handling of the Hong Kong problem in Parliament and an amended letter to No 10 will be issuing shortly.

The Secretary of State agrees that his forthcoming talk to the_Conservative Foreign Affairs Committee on 1 November might provide an occasion to brief Conservative back benchers, but wonders whether this is soon enough. He would be grateful for your advice on this point.

The Secretary of State has also considered the question of briefing Opposition MPs. He believes the substance would have to be pretty anodyne in present circumstances. But he considers that it might now be the time to brief Opposition leaders on Privy Councillor terms. He has suggested that he might raise this at the forthcoming meeting of OD(K).

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24 October 1983

(P F Ricketts)

See (58)

cc:

PS/Lady Young PS/Mr Raison PS/Mr Rifkind PS/Mr Luce

Mr Houston

PS/PUS

Mr Giffard

Mr Donald

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CAA 25/60

Mr. Hum Mr. Morais 27/10

I spoke to Mr. Richoto. INvuumber

seems fine. Pl. duft a brief.

This will probably be Mass

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Q

Kinnock, Owen & Steel. A. start

CONFIDENTIAL

drashy bring 25/ w