TNAG-1307-FCO40-1664-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 74

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CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 130645Z FEB 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 361 OF 13 FEBRUARY

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

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GISTRY

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YOUR TELNO 237: MEETING WITH UNOFFICIALLMEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE

COUNCIL.

AT MY MEETING WITH THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS ON FEBRUARY 10 THERE

WAS NO DISPOSITION TO QUARREL WITH WHAT I SAID TO THEM ON SPEAKING OUTSIDE LEGCO. I CONFIRMED IN ANSWER TO A QUESTION THAT I BELIEVED THAT TO REVIVE THE ARGUMENT IN FAVOUR OF CONTINUING BRITISH ADMINISTRATION FELL WITHIN THE REALM OF THE UNREALISTIC.

2. MOST OF THE DISCUSSION HOWEVER WAS ON WHAT SHOULD BE SAID INSIDE THE LEGCO CHAMBER. THERE WAS A STRONGLY EXPRESSED VIEW

THAT THERE HAD TO BE A DEBATE IN LEGCO AND IT WAS EVIDENT THAT

THE INTENTION OF A NUMBER OF MEMBERS HAD BEEN TO BEGIN THIS

ON FEBRUARY 15. THEY THOUGHT THAT TO PUT DOWN A QUESTION WOULD

NOT BE SUFFICIENT AND WOULD BE TAKEN AS A WEAK MOVE BY THE PUBLIC.

3. WITH SOME DIFFICULTY I PERSUADED THEM THAT IF WE SCHEDULED A

DEBATE ON FEBRUARY 15 IT WOULD BE SEEN AS AN EMERGENCY MOVE, AND

WOULD BE LINKED WITH THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S PROPOSED STATEMENT ON

DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION. AFTER FURTHER CONSULTATION AMONG THEM-

SELVES THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT TAKE ANY ACTION ON

FEBRUARY 15 BUT WOULD NOW WISH TO PREPARE TO DEBATE THE ISSUE AS

THE SESSION ON MARCH 14 (THE SESSION ON 29 FEBRUARY IS TAKEN UP

BY THE BUDGET).

4. I PROPOSE TO STEER THEM IN THE DIRECTION OF A DEBATE ON THE

AJOURNMENT. THIS WOULD HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF ALLOWING THEM TO

RANGE WHERE THEY WILL. NOR WOULD WE HAVE TO AGREE WITH THEM

BEFOREHAND ON A MOTION FOR WHICH OFFICIALS COULD VOTE (IF THERE

WERE A MOTION IT WOULD BE ESSENTIAL FOR PRESENTATIONAL REASONS

FOR IT TO BE IN A FORM WHICH OFFICIALS COULD SUPPORT. AN APPARENT

RIFT BETWEEN OFFICIALS AND UNOFFICIALS ON THIS ISSUE WOULD BE

VERY DAMAGING). THERE IS NO VOTE AFTER AN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE.

CONFIDENTIAL

1612 BBET to Mr Powell

2 March

15.

108

See (111)