TNAG-1315-FCO40-1708-Future-of-Hong-Kong-preparation-of-the-Joint-Declaration-1984 — Page 25

GRS 160

SECRET

DESKBY 15093OZ

SEORET

FROM PEKING 15020OZ MAR 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 441 OF 15/3/84

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

MKK040114

FUTURE OF HONG KONG:

TIMETABLE

M

1. IN OUR ARGUMENTS WITH ZHOU NAN OVER THE TIMETABLE

OF THE AGREEMENT, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE COULD QUOTE SOME PRECEDENTS OF CASES:

(A) WHERE A DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT HAS BEEN NECESSARY

ON A DRAFT TEXT BEFORE SIGNATURE HAS BEEN POSSIBLE (SEMI-COLON) AND

(B) WHERE THERE HAS BEEN A LONG INTERVAL BETWEEN

SIGNATURE AND RATIFICATION BECAUSE OF THE NEED FOR EXTENSIVE

LEGISLATION.

2. OUR TREATY OF ACCESSION TO THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES COULD BE AN IMPORTANT EXAMPLE OF (A).

I SEEM TO RECALL THAT THERE WAS FULL PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE

DURING THE SUMMER OF 1972, FOLLOWED BY SIGNATURE JUST BEFORE OUR ACCESSION ON 1 JANUARY 1973.

3. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE A REPLY BEFORE THE INFORMAL DINNER WITH THE CHINESE SIDE ON 17 MARCH, IE BY 17080OZ

136

see

Ma

145

(151

(174)

173

EVANS

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

D/PLANNING STAFF

/PUSD

D/ED/PUSD

́RES.B. (MR TALKER)

LEGAL ADVISER (SIR IAN SINCLAIR

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

FS/ME LUCE

PS/FUS

SER J BULLARD

SIR W HARDING

YA WILSON

MR FRIGHT

SIR C TICKEHUT,

COPIES TO:

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

PS/LORD PRESIDENT OF SEE COUNCIEL PS/HOME SECRETARY

PS/CHANCELLOR OF NE EXCHEQUER

PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL

PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS

MR BURROWS

I ́EWS D ́

LEGAL ADVS

KR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST

MR. MARTIN ASSESSMENT STAFF CABINET OFFICE

ME GOODALL CABINET OFFICE

MR. BREWINAN CABINET OFFICE

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

SIR P CRADOCK RM K195

BIR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREET

SEORET