TNAG-1329-FCO40-1756-Future-of-Hong-Kong-test-of-the-acceptability-of-the-Joint-D-1984 — Page 62

CONFIDENTIAL

PS/Mr Lyte Minishes MKK04046

FROM:

CO HUM, HKD

DATE: 9 AUGUST 1984

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

16 AUG 1984

DERE DEICER

HODEX

VA

TAIL 23 2

CC:

REGISTR

Action Taken

PS

PS/PUS

Sir P Cradock

A C Galsworthy (0.R.)

FUTURE OF HONG KONG : TEST OF ACCEPTABILITY:

UK MONITOR

A

1. Sir Patrick Nairne telephoned Mr Galsworthy this morning and,

in the latter's absence, I took the call. Sir Patrick had received

Mr Luce's letter of 8 August, inviting him to serve as the UK

member of the Monitoring Team in Hong Kong.

2.

Sir Patrick made it clear that he was disposed to accept

the invitation if he possibly could. He explained however that

this would require some re-arrangement of his plans, in particular

where the administration of his college was concerned. He would

need to be granted dispensation to be absent, and someone else

would have to be elected to serve as Master during his absence.

These procedures were complicated by the fact that the Fellows of

the college were now scattered throughout the world.

3. Sir Patrick asked if I could clarify certain details:

i) was the task of Monitor to be considered as a full-time,

continuing job during the two months that the Team was in existence?

I said that it was.

ii)

was there any chance that the timing of the beginning and/or

the end of the test of acceptability would slip? Sir Patrick

explained that it would be very much easier to organise his

departure and replacement if he could be present in Oxford in the

first half of October. On the other hand he was committed to

organising and chairing an important Seminar at Leeds Castle between

19 and 21 September, and he would be reluctant to have to miss

this. I explained the reasons why the initialling of an agreement

with the Chinese was very unlikely to slip beyond the end of

September, and why the test of acceptability would need to be

CONFIDENTIAL

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