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HKKC040|11
RECEIVED IN ALUS.
JAN 1984
CER
(34)
FN HONG KONG 30084OZ JAN 34
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 234 OF 30 JANUARY 1984
INFO ROUTINE PEKING
PA
Actic
CH912
YOUR TELNO 161: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: WORKING PAPERS
1. IT IS NOT PRACTICABLE TO HOLD AN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING NEXT WEEK: NOR WOULD IT BE DESIRABLE FOR ME TO PROPOSE IT.
2. IT IS NOT A QUOTE NORMAL WORKING WEEK. UNQUOTE THE CHINESE
NEW YEAR IS THE MAJOR HOLIDAY IN HONG KONG (OVER 1 MILLION
PEOPLE WILL LEAVE THE TERRITORY VISITING RELATIVES AND ON
HOLIDAY ELSEWHERE). IT IS COMMON PRACTICE TO ANTICIPATE OR
EXTEND THE HOLIDAY JUST AS WHITEHALL DOES IN LONDON BETWEEN
CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR. FOUR OR MORE SENIOR MEMBERS OF EXCO
WILL BE OUT OF HONG KONG FOR MOST OF NEXT WEEK AND IT WOULD
BE ENTIRELY UNREASONABLE TO ASK THEM TO CANCEL THEIR PLANS
AT THIS LATE STAGE.
3. AS I HAVE POINTED OUT FROM THE BEGINNING, THE ISSUES DEALT
WITH IN THE NEXT SERIES OF WORKING PAPERS ARE DIFFERENT IN
NATURE FROM THOSE SUBMITTED IN THE PRE-CHRISTMAS ROUND IN THAT
THEY HAVE SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY IN HONG KONG (WHICH
ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL) BEFORE 1997
AS WELL AS AFTER. THEY MUST BE GIVEN, AND SEEN TO BE GIVEN, VERY
CAREFUL CONSIDERATION. TO RUSH OUT PAPERS DEALING WITH THEM OVER
A NEW YEAR HOLIDAY AND SUMMON HASTILY ARRANGED MEETINGS WITH
SENIOR MEMBERS ABSENT IS NOT CONSONANT WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
ISSUES. THE EXCO CALENDAR OF MEETINGS OVER THE NEW YEAR WAS SET
MONTHS AGO AND I EMPHASISED THE NEED TO TAKE THIS TIMETABLE INTO
ACCOUNT IN MY TELNO 44-OF JANUARY 6.
See 35
37
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