minty
и
Sir P Cradock
4.9/3
Private Secretary
PUS's comments attacheri
SECRET
fraret of State.
167)
FROM: R D CLIFT, HKD
DATE: 8 MARCH 1984
cc: PS/Mr Luce
PS/PUS
Sir I Sinclair
Sir W Harding
Doctor Wilson
Mr Thomson FED
Mr Walker
Research Dept.
Mr Butler,
Parliamentary Ut
HKK04011
RECEIVED IN FLOISTE?
3 MAR 1984
ICER
REGISTRY
INDEX
on Taken
л
10B1613
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: LIFTING THE VEIL
PROBLEM
1. How far and how fast can we 'lift the veil' on our
negotiations with the Chinese on the future of Hong Kong?
see
173
171
RECOMMENDATION
2. The first occasion for any major revelation should be the
statement which the Secretary of State proposes to make during his visit to Hong Kong in April. The Foreign Affairs Debate
Approvisionally fixed for 22 March would however allow a start to the
process. The meeting of the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs to
which the Secretary of State will give evidence on 14 March would
not be a suitable occasion. A list of the main elements which might
be included in statements on those 3 occasions is annexed.
BACKGROUND AND ARGUMENT
3. It is part of the strategy agreed by Ministers and by EXCO that
we should begin soon to give some indications to Hong Kong of the future course and likely outcome of the negotiations. This would begin a process of acclimatization and help opinion to form in advance of the publication of a draft agreement, scheduled in our timetable to take place by the end of September. The process of establishing the acceptability of an agreement to Hong Kong would thus be a longer and more gentle process than if it was concentrated
in the period between publication of the draft agreement and its
SECRET
/debate
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.