TNAG-1263-FCO40-1606-Parliamentary-contacts-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 48

A&B

C

Mr Giffard

Private Secretary

SECRET

!

WH15

HKK 011/6

FROM: R D Clift

Hong Kong Department

DATE: 25 August 1983

cc:

PS/Lady Young PS/Mr Luce PS/PUS

Mr Donald, OR Mr Thomson, FED

FUTURE OF HONG KONG : BRIEFING THE OPPOSITION : MR HEALEY

1.

2.

The background is contained in my submissions of 11 and 21 April.

The Prime Minister agreed earlier this year that Mr Steel, Dr Owen and Mr Healey should be given a general briefing, on Privy Councillor terms, on the future of Hong Kong, including an account

of our position on sovereignty. Mr Steel and Dr Owen were briefed

in the House by Mr Pym on 5 May (M Holmes' minute of 5 May).

Mr Healey was to have been briefed soon after, but the General

Election intervened.

Mr Healey.

3. I think that we should now proceed with a briefing for

He is still the obvious candidate within the Labour

Party, pending the election of a new Party leader in the autumn.

It would not be very satisfactory to wait until then.

4. I recommend that the Secretary of State should carry out this briefing following his return from leave.

5. I attach some Points to Make which, apart from some up-dating to take account of developments in our talks with the Chinese, follow closely the lines of the briefing Mr Pym used with Mr Steel and Dr Owen.

25 August 1983

SECRET

R D Clift

Hong Kong Department