TNAG-1324-FCO40-1736-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1984 — Page 163

CONFIDENTIAL

DEFENSIVE POINTS TO MAKE:

LADY YOUNG ..

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: LEGCO DEBATE

A

POINTS TO MAKE

Y. Officials of the Hong Kong Government have welcomed this initiative by unofficial members of the Hong Kong Legislative Council. The Government is committed to seeking an agreement

which is acceptable to China, to Parliament and to the people of Hong Kong. Although it is too early to say how opinion on any agreement will be tested in Hong Kong, it is important that the Legislative Council should have the opportunity to debate any proposals for a settlement.

BACKGROUND

2. The Unofficial members of LEGCO have given notice of a motion to be debated on 14 March in the following terms:

3.

"This Council deems it essential that any proposals

for the future of Hong Kong should be debated in this Council before any final agreement is reached."

Unofficial members had originally proposed a more difficult motion, but the Governor persuaded them to moderate it. There is nothing in the Royal Instructions or the Letters Patent or the Standing Instructions of the Legislative Council to suggest that such a debate would be out of order.

4. No decision has yet been made on how to determine the acceptability of any agreement with the Chinese to Hong Kong opinion.