TNAG-1330-FCO40-1757-Future-of-Hong-Kong-test-of-the-acceptability-of-the-Joint-D-1984 — Page 155

ADVANCE COPIES

HONG KONG AGREEMENT

PS

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

DR WILSON

HD/ HKD

12

ADVANCE

COPY

IMMEDIATE

SIR P CRADOCK

MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

HD/ FED

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 1105452 OCT PL

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3179 OF 11 OCTOBER

PIPT: TEST OF ACCEPTAFILITY 1 ASSESSMENT OFFICE.

AS ACTING GOVERNOP I HAVE ARRANGED TO SEE THE COMMISSIONER OF

·

THE ASSESMENT OFFICE TOMORROW (FRIDAY) MORNING. WHEREAS AN EXCESSIVE EMPHASIS ON CONFIDENTIALITY COULD BE INTERPRETED AS A LACK OF FAITH IN CHINESE GOODWILL, FOR US NOT TO PE ABLE TO CIVE AN UNE QUIVOCAL ASSURANCE THAT WRITERS OF CRITICAL SUBMISSIONS HAVE NOTHING TO FEAP (E.E. THAT NON-DISCLOSURE IS CUPANTEED) IS INDEFENCIPLE. THIS, QUITE APART FROM THE POSSIBILITY THAT, IN THE AT SENCE OF SUCH AN ASSURANCE, RELATIVELY FEW CRITICAL SUBMISSIONS MAY, IN THE EVENT, BE SENT IN, WITH UNFORTUNATE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE CREDIBILITY OF THE TEST OF ACCEPTABILITY.

2. WOULD THIS BE AN ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION? WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF THE MONITORING TEAM THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF THE WRITERS ARE EXPUNGED FROM THE SUBMISSIONS IN THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE BEFORE THEY ARE FORWARDED TO YOU BY THE COVERNOR WITH THE REPORT. IF NOT, IS THERE ANY WAY IN WHICH THE SECRETARY OF STATE COULD GIVE AN UNDERTAKING THAT NAMES WILL NOT BE DISCLOSED, EVEN IF SPECIAL LEGISLATION WAS REQUIRED?

HADDON-CAVE

WANN