TNAG-1317-FCO40-1720-Future-of-Hong-Kong-meetings-of-the-Cabinet-Defence-and-Over-1984 — Page 51

CONFIDENTIAL

MKK040/11

@ECEIVED IN REGISTRY

12 JUL 1984

FROM: R D CLIFT, HKD DATE: 9 July 1984

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HONG KONG: CIRCULATION OF MINISTERIAL CORRESPONDENCE

1. Sir Robert Armstrong's Private Secretary wrote to you on 4 July complaining about the late circulation and voluminous format of papers for OD(K). I submit a draft reply.

2. Where timing is concerned, we submitted three papers for the last OD(K) meeting held on 28 June and originally arranged for 27 June. The first, on acceptability, was submitted on 20 June. It was despatched to No 10 and Private Secretaries to OD (K) members on 21 June, under a covering letter from you.

The second, on constitutional developments and the draft green paper, was submitted on 22 June and despatched under a covering note from the Secretary of State to the Prime Minister on 25 June. The final paper on Agenda Item 2 was submitted on 22 June and despatched under a covering note from the Secretary of State to the Prime Minister on 25 June.

3. The second and third of these topics are linked. During the week of 18 June we were forced to work out our positions on them very rapidly. There was some delay before a slot could be found to discuss our ideas with the Secretary of State. In the event an office meeting could not be held until 22 June. As soon as possible thereafter (the same day) we submitted the papers for OD(K). The Secretary of State then considered the papers over the weekend, and in the light of his comments Private Office issued them on Monday 25 June.

4.

We will endeavour to meet the 7 day rule whenever we can. But I fear that in view of the pace and complexity of the Hong Kong negotiations, the need for frequent direct consultation with the Secretary of State and his own crowded programme.

5. Mr Hatfield also proposes that minutes for OD(K) in future should be circulated in the usual form of economically drafted memoranda instead of as "voluminous" papers under cover of minutes from the Secretary of State to the Prime Minister. Again the problem is the pace and complexity of the negotiations. Issues need to be put to our own Ministers in some detail, and either time or the degree of detail militates against a policy of boiling internal papers down for OD(K). Once again we shall do our best, but we cannot guarantee miracles.

9 July 1984

Brin

R D Clift

Hong Kong Department

CONFIDENTIAL