TNAG-1322-FCO40-1728-Future-of-Hong-Kong-opinion-polls-and-surveys-1984 — Page 146

GPS300

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG KONG 161135Z NOV 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3505 OF 16 NOVEMBER

FOR HONG KONG DEPARTMENT

FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY FROM NAIRNE.

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: MONITORING TEAM.

(65,

HICK 040/25.

RECEIVED

REGISTRY

19 NOV 1984

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

320/11

1. MY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TELEGRAM CONTAINS TEXT OF LETTER DATED 16 NOVEMBER FROM SIR S.Y. CHUNG INVITING MONITORING TEAM TO AUDIT SURVEY PROCEDURES EMPLOYED BY SURVEY RESEARCH HONGKONG LIMITED (SRH), A SURVEY ON THE DRAFT AGREEMENT OF WHICH UMELCO ARE CO-SPONSORS.

2. MR. JUSTICE LI AND I APPRECIATE IMPORTANCE WHICH UMELCO AND SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER ATTACH TO WHAT WE UNDERSTAND TO BE A PROFESSIONALLY AND WELL-CONDUCTED STUDY: BUT WE HAVE CONSIDERABLE RESERVATIONS ABOUT ACCEPTING INVITATION. IT WOULD BE OUTSIDE OUR TERMS OF REFERENCE TO UNDERTAKE SUCH A TASK. TO DO SO WOULD GIVE THE RESULTS OF SRH SURVEY A SPECIAL STATUS WHICH WOULD BE LIKELY TO CREATE DIFFICULTY IN RELATION TO ASSESSMENT OFFICE REPORT WHEN BOTH ARE PUBLISHED. SRH'S REPORT IS DUE TO BE PUBLISHED ON 24 NOVEMBER, AND THE COMPANY HAVE ALREADY PASSED COMPUTER TABULATIONS TO ASSESSMENT OFFICE. COMMISSIONER INTENDS TO TAKE WHAT ACCOUNT HE CAN OF DATA AVAILABLE IN HIS REPORT, AND OUR MONITORING ROLE WILL COVER THAT AS IT WILL THE RESULTS OF OTHER SURVEYS ALREADY PUBLISHED.

3. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEW, PROPOSE THEREFORE TO EXPLAIN TO S.Y. CHUNG THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO ACCEPT INVITATION.

YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED

64

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER)

PS

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

COPIES TO:(VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET

OFFICE

MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE

SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR P CRADOCK, ROOM K195

CONFIDENTIAL