TNAG-1317-FCO40-1720-Future-of-Hong-Kong-meetings-of-the-Cabinet-Defence-and-Over-1984 — Page 72

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SECRET

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

21 June, 1984

Dear Charles.

Future of Hong Kong: Arrangements for Testing the Acceptability

in Hong Kong of an Agreement for the Chinese

:

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At the meeting of OD(K) on 23 May, Ministers endorsed the general approach towards testing the acceptability of an agreement in Hong. Kong outlined in a paper submitted by the Foreign Secretary. This envisaged that a period of public debate in representative and semi-representative bodies in Hong Kong, as well as at grass roots level, would be stimulated by an invitation to the public to express their views on a draft agreement, and that this would be combined with a more general, passive sounding of public opinion. Sir Geoffrey Howe was invited to put forward detailed proposals on these lines.

I now enclose a paper, which is based on a draft by the Governor of Hong Kong, for discussion at OD(K) on 27 June. I am copying this letter, and the enclosure, to the Private Secretaries of members of OD(K) and to Richard Hatfield (Cabinet Office).

You ever

Len Appleyard

(L V Appleyard) Private Secretary

C D Powell Esq

10 Downing Street

SECRET