TNAG-1263-FCO40-1606-Parliamentary-contacts-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 70

CONFIDENTIAL & PERSONAL

W163

Hkkefotito

RECEIVED IN ni

FROM: H B WARREN-GASH

63

PS

HONG KONG:

STRY

Sún Taker

DATE:

18 November 1983

by

CM16/12

Mr. Hymny cc: M. Moni's 21/11

PS/PUS

Mr Giffard

Mr Donald

Mr

Te must now revine brief fux

BRIEFING PARLIAMENT

Hong Kong Dept

181

"

1. Mr Luce would be grateful for the Secretary of State's views on how to proceed with this. The situation at present, as he understands it, is that the Prime Minister has agreed that Mr Healey, Mr Steel and Mr Owen should be given a general briefing on developments on a Privy Counsellor basis, and that the Secretary of State himself will do this. As far as Conservative backbenchers are concerned, Mr Luce has spoken in very general terms (as I believe has the Secretary of State) to the Conservative FAC. He has also offered interested Conservative backbenchers a briefing by officials on the background to Hong Kong. This would be strictly factual, with emphasis on the history of the colony as well as on the way Hong Kong operates today.

2. The main unresolved point is whether Opposition back- benchers should be offered this same background briefing. Mr Luce recommends that they should, in order to avoid the risk of Hong Kong becoming more of a party political matter. Before proceeding, however, he would be grateful for the Secretary of State's agreement.

3. In the meantime, I should record that, with Mr Luce's agreement, senior officials are continuing to brief responsible newspaper editors in very general terms about developments on Hong Kong without, of course, going into the details of the talks.

Red Enter" Paharatiy

Cartuch

H. Wonmen Gash

H B Warren-Gash PS/Mr Luce

6 tot Roberts (for pan 3)

Par to Ms Priest for update

briel for Opp. Leader

3

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