TNAG-1284-FCO40-1636-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 79

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AND

D) THE PAPER IS ALSO BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE PRINCIPAL FOCUS OF CHINESE ANXIETIES IS THE POSSIBILITY OF A REFERENDUM, THAT ANY CHINESE UNHAPPINESS ABOUT DETAILS OF THE PROCESS WE ENVISAGE WOULD PROBABLY BE CONTAINABLE.

E) ON PARA 1(C) OF FCO TELNO. 970, WE AGREE THAT THE PRE-SEPTEMBER PHASE OF PUBLICITY WILL DEVELOP AS THE OUTCOME EMERGES. WE ALSO AGREE THAT THERE WOULD BE SCOPE FOR EXPANDING ON OUR RECENT PUBLIC REFERENCES TO THE NEED FOR A DETAILED AND BINDING AGREEMENT BY EXPLAINING, IN PRIVATE BRIEFINGS, THE SORT OF DETAIL WE HAVE IN MIND. BUT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO DO THIS WITHOUT COMING UP AGAINST THE LARGE GAP WHICH STILL EXISTS BETWEEN US AND THE CHINESE ON THE FORM AND CONTENT OF THE AGREEMENT (AMONGST OTHER THINGS).

3. WE HAVE PUT IN HAND THE PREPARATION OF THE FIRST DRAFT PAPER FOR YOU TO LOOK AT OVER THE WEEKEND. THIS PAPER WILL INCORPORATE THE MATERIAL IN FCO TELNO. 554 TO PEKING PLUS THE IDEAS IN MIFT (WHICH WE HOPE ANSWER THE POINTS RAISED IN PARA 2 OF FCO TELNO 958). HOW IT WILL ULTIMATELY LOOK WILL DEPEND ON HOW DECISIONS ON THE MACHINERY OF ASSESSMENT AND ITS AUDIT, THE CONTENT OF THE WHITE PAPER, THE TIMETABLE FOR THE TEST TO BE PROPERLY CONDUCTED AND THE ROLE WHICH THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS MIGHT PLAY. ON THE LATTER POINT WE SHOULD WELCOME FCO ADVICE BY 01020OZ ON THE SELECT COMMITTEE'S TERMS OF REFERENCE AND OF THE EXACT ROLE(S) WHICH IT IS ENVISAGED IT MIGHT PLAY.

HADDON-CAVE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

D/PLANNING STAFF

D/PUSD

D/ED/PUSD

PES.E. (MR TALKER)

LEGAL ADVISER (MR FREELAND)

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PSAR LUCE

PS/PUS

SER J BULLARD

SIR HARDING KR WILSON

MR TRIGET

SIA C TICKLI

COPIES TO:

BUCKINGA PALACE

PS/LOHD PRESIDENT OF USE COUNCIL

PS/HOME SECRETARY

PS/CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL

PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY

COPIES TO: (VLA ADR)

TORSD

MR ROBERTS

HR BURROWS

LEGAL ADVS

MR COLES NO

10 DOWNING ST

MR MARTIN ASSESSMENT STAFF CABINET OFFICE

MR GOODALL

MR BRENNAN

CABINET OFFICE

CABINET

PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE D

PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL

SIR ? CRADOCI SY KIRS

2

SIR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREET

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