TNAG-1308-FCO40-1665-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 46

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DESKBY FCO 1409OOZ

FM HONG KONG 140755Z MAR 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 685 OF 14 MARCH

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

197 146

RECEIVED II HEGISTRY

15.AR 1234

TRY

Sken

и

JB1413

YOUR TELSNOS 458 AND 459: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: SELECT COMMITTEE

ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

1. THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN SOME SUGGESTIONS IN THE PRESS TO THE

EFFECT THAT HMG MAY NOT BE ENTIRELY HAPPY ABOUT THE LEGCO DEBATE

AND THAT THERE MAY BE SOME DIVISION BETWEEN HMG AND THE HKG ON

THE ISSUE. AGAINST THAT BACKGROUND IT WOULD GO DOWN VERY WELL HERE

IF THE SECRETARY OF STATE COULD FIND AN OPPORTUNITY DURING HIS

MEETING WITH THE SELECT COMMITTEE, PERHAPS IN ANSWER TO A QUESTION, TO SAY THAT HE FOUND IT ENTIRELY NATURAL THAT LEGCO SHOULD WISH

TO HAVE SUCH A DEBATE AT THIS TIME: THAT THE DEBATE WAS IN

ORDER: THAT NO BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY WAS INVOLVED: AND THAT

AS HE UNDERSTOOD IT LEGCO WERE NOT CLAIMING ANY RIGHT OF VETO

OVER AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS.

YOUDE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

COPIES TO:

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

PLANNING STAFF

ED/PUSD

D/HD/PUSD

PES B. (MR WALKER)

LEGAL ADVISER (SIR TAN SINCLAIR

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

SIR W HAPDING

IR WILSON

KER WRIGHT

SIR C TICKERL

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

MR BURROWS

MR COLES NO

I ́EWS D'

LEGAL ADVS

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

STR ́P CRADOCK RV KIS

STR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREET

SECRET

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