TNAG-1330-FCO40-1757-Future-of-Hong-Kong-test-of-the-acceptability-of-the-Joint-D-1984 — Page 109

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A

B

4.

follow over the format of

There are no direct precedents to follow over

either report. The nearest precedent to the Assessment Office report (in format alone, I hope) is the report of the Commission on

Rhodesian Opinion under the chairmanship of Lord Pearce. This was

published as a White Paper in the Miscellaneous Series. The nearest

equivalent to the Monitors' report is that of the British observers

at the Presidental Elections in El Salvador in March 1984. This was

also published as a White Paper but, as a document of less general

interest, was not numbered in any Series.

5. I recommend that for convenience and ease of handling we publish

the two reports together, although making it absolutely clear that

they are separate reports. The two are logically linked in that the

Monitors are reporting on the work of the Assessment Office. I

think it can be made sufficiently clear that the Monitors have

reported directly to the Secretary of State and the Assessment

Office has reported through the Governor by ensuring that, as is the standard procedure, the two reports begin by quoting or appending the terms of reference according to which each unit has operated.

To have two separate White Papers would be cumbersome, and could

make for confusion in the debate. We already have a White Paper on

the agreement, and the Hong Kong Government will also have published

a White Paper on constitutional development before the debate.

6.

It would not be appropriate to add any commentary or explanation

to the text of the two reports.

7. We propose that the title of the White Paper might read as

follows:

Hong Kong

Arrangements for testing the acceptability in Hong Kong of the

draft agreement on the future of the territory.

I Report of the Assessment Office

II Report of the Independent Monitoring Team

8. If the Secretary of State is content with what we propose, we shall seek formal permission from No 10 to publish the reports in a White Paper.

We shall discuss with Hong Kong how we intend to

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