TNAG-1317-FCO40-1720-Future-of-Hong-Kong-meetings-of-the-Cabinet-Defence-and-Over-1984 — Page 125

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Acceptability

9. Also circulated paper to colleagues on acceptability.

Difficult issue. Need to be able to demonstrate to Parliament

that consultation has been genuine and is acceptable to

people of Hong Kong, but avoid provoking Chinese.

Referendum clearly out of the question. Only real option

a mixture of active and passive sounding of opinion as set

out in paper.

10. Faced by real problems if results of consultation not

clearly positive. Need to consider what more can be done

to educate Hong Kong people on realities of their position

and constraints within which we have negotiated. Must also

consider when and how our proposed method of consultation

should be announced.

Further Ministerial statement on

progress of talks helpful perhaps if I visit Peking and

Hong Kong in July.

11. Two MPs in debate called for Select Committee on

Foreign Affairs to visit Hong Kong. Likely to provoke Chinese.

Questions about how they would assess opinion. I would

not favour this.

Hong Kong Department

22 May 1984

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