TNAG-1325-FCO40-1737-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1984 — Page 94

CONFIDENTIAL

LIKKO 46 137

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

TO 1OCT 1984-

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

Y

Action Taken

24/10/12/23/00

GR

6486 1

118

PP HONG KONG

GRS 182

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO 281635Z SEP 84

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1996 OF 28 SEPTEMBER

INFO PEKING

1.

YOUR TELNO 3069: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE

WE HAVE GIVEN PRELIMINARY THOUGHT TO THE WORDING OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS MOTION FOR THE DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER, BUT NO DECISION HAS BEEN TAKEN. THE MOST OBVIOUS PRECEDENT IS THE CASE OF THE DEBATE ON ACCESSION TO THE EC IN 1971, WHEN THE GOVERNMENT LAID A WHITE PAPER BEFORE THE HOUSE AND HELD A DEBATE ON THE FOLLOWING MOTION: 'THAT THIS HOUSE APPROVES HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT'S DECISION OF PRINCIPLE TO JOIN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ON THE BASIS OF THE ARRANGEMENTS WHICH HAVE BEEN

NEGOTIATED.'

2.

WE WILL BE CONSULTING FURTHER BUT THINK IT LIKELY THAT WE

SHALL PROPOSE SOMETHION THESE LINES, TOGETHER WITH SOME REFERENCE TO THE VIEWS OF HONG KONG AS DESCRIBED IN THE REPORTS ON THE LIST OF ACCEPTABILITY. IN OUR VIEW THE LEGCO MOTION CANNOT TO FOLLOW VERY CLOSELY THE MOTION WE PUT BEFORE PARLIAMENT, IN PARTICULAR IF, AS WE SUPPOSE, THERE IS LIKELY TO BE A FURTHER DEBATE ONCE THE RESULT OF THE TEST OF

ACCEPTABILITY IS KNOWN.

HOWE

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

LIMITED

HKD

FED

COPIES TO:

SIR P CRADOCK

MR DARWIN

MR FIFOOT

LEGAL ADVISERS

LEGAL ADVISERS

MR BICKFORD

LEGAL ADVISERS

1

CONFIDENTIAL