TNAG-1307-FCO40-1664-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 78

DD 10010OZ HONG KONG

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FM FCO 091500Z FEB 84

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Hcicogel

RECEIVELIK LESBO

3.2 184

DISTRA

ironman Eng

DESK OF PE

W

drad

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 237 OF 9 FEBRUARY

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: LEGCO DEBATE ON 15 FEBRUARY

1.

YOUR TELECON WITH CLIFT. WE AGREE THAT IF POSSIBLE LEGCO

SHOULD BE PERSUADED TO PUT DOWN A QUESTION RATHER THAN A MOTION

IN ORDER TO AVOID A DEBATE. WE REALISE THAT THEY CANNOT BE

DEFLECTED ALTOGETHER FROM RAISING THE POINT. OUR PREFERENCE

WOULD BE FOR A FORMULA AS FOLLOWS:

'WHETHER IT IS PROPOSED THAT ANY PROPOSALS FOR THE FUTURE OF

HONG KONG SHOULD BE DEBATED IN THIS COUNCIL BEFORE A FINAL

AGREEMENT IS REACHED?'

2.

IN ANY CASE WE THINK IT EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO PERSUADE THE

UNOFFICIALS TO AVOID A REFERENCE TO A TEST OF ACCEPTABILITY, IN

PARTICULAR ONE WHICH PREJUDGED THE FORM WHICH THAT TEST MIGHT TAKE.

HOWE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

COPIES TO:

105

See(108)

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

FD/PLANNING STAFF

HD/PUSD

D/HD/PUSD (MR FLOWER)

RES.D. (MR WALKER)

LEGAL ADVISER (SIR IAN SINCLAIR

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

SIR W HARDING

MR DONALD

LR WRIGHT

SIR C TICKELL

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

PS/LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

PS/HOME SECRETARY

PS/CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL

PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS

NEWS D

MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVS

MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST

MR MARTIN ASSESSMENT STAFF CABINET OFFICE

MR GOODALL CABINET OFFICE

MR BRENNAN CABINET OFFICE

PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE D PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL

SIR P CRADOCK RM K195

SIR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREET

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