TNAG-1330-FCO40-1757-Future-of-Hong-Kong-test-of-the-acceptability-of-the-Joint-D-1984 — Page 148

GPS200

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG 150345Z OCT 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3202 OF 15 OCTOBER

HKK040/46

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

15 OCT 1984

DESK OFFICER INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

JAK

159

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

YOUR TELNO 2068: TEST OF ACCEPTABILITY: ASSESSMENT OFFICE.

WE DECIDED TO MAKE A PRESS RELEASE AT 9.30 AM HONG KONG

TIME ON SUNDAY (14TH) RATHER THAN WAIT UNTIL NEXT THURSDAY

(18TH) WHEN THE OFFICIAL SIDE REPLIES TO THE LEGISLATIVE

COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE MOTION ON THE DRAFT AGREEMENT. THIS WAS

BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT A NUMBER OF UNOFFICIALS WOULD BE

RETURNING TO THE CHARGE AND TO LET THEM DO SO WHEN THEIR POINT

HAD ALREADY BEEN TAKEN WOULD HAVE BEEN UNFAIR.

2. TEXT OF THE PRESS RELEASE IS IN MIFT. IT WAS SENT TO THE LONDON

OFFICE IN THE USUAL WAY FOR ONWARD TRANSMISSION TO YOU BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS NOT THOUGHT NECESSARY TO ASK FOR IT TO

BE PASSED ON IMMEDIATEELY TO YOU. IF THIS HAS CAUSED YOU ANY

EMBARRASSMENT, WE CAN ONLY APOLOGISE.

YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER) PS

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR W HARD ING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

MR BOYD.

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

bad KGD LUNDOM