TNAG-1308-FCO40-1665-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 97

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Sir P Cradock

Private Secretary

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SECRET

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FUTURE OF HONG KONG: LIFTING THE VEIL

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FROM: R D CLIFT, HKD

DATE: 8 MARCH 1984

cc: PS/Mr Luce

ANTONY ACLAND

PS/PUS

Sir I Sinclair

Sir W Harding

Doctor Wilson

Mr Thomson FED

Mr Walker

Research Dept.

Mr Butler,

Parliamentary Ut

1. How far and how fast can we 'lift the veil' on our

negotiations with the Chinese on the future of Hong Kong?

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 provisionally 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