TNAG-1330-FCO40-1757-Future-of-Hong-Kong-test-of-the-acceptability-of-the-Joint-D-1984 — Page 169

GPS120

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 120755Z OCT 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3190 OF 012 OCTOBER

HUK 040/46

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

YOUR TELNO 2051: TEST OF ACCEPTABILITY: ASSESSMENT OFFICE

D).

1:50CT 1984

FICER

PA

JAKA

153

REGISTRY Action Taken

SHC

1960

I HAVE NOW DISCUSSED THIS PROBLEM WITH THE COMMISSIONER

OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE (WHO HAS ALSO, INFORMALLY, TAKEN

SOUNDINGS OF THE MONITORING TEAM).

1

2. ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE CAO HAS NO DIFFICULTY IN

DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN MAIN SUBMISSIONS'' AND 'OTHER

SUBMISSIONS'' AND GIVEN THAT ONLY **MAIN SUBMISSIONS' ARE

TO BE PUBLISHED WITH THE REPORT (WITH THE IMPLICIT CONCURRENCE

OF THE AUTHORS), I AGREE THE BEST COURSE TO ADOPT WOULD BE TO

RETAIN ALL OTHER MATERIAL IN HONG KONG FOR SUBSEQUENT DISPOSAL

NOW THAT THIS COURSE APPEARS TO BE LEGALLY ACCEPTABLE. THIS MATERIAL

COULD BE PLACED IN THE SAFECARE OF OUR PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE,

IN SEALED BOXES, UNTIL RATIFICATION AND THEN BE DESTROYED.

3. I HOPE A FIRM DECISION ON WHAT TO DO CAN BE TAKEN BEFORE,

SAY, NEXT TUESDAY AFTERNOON BECAUSE, IF WE ARE TO BACKTRACK

ON SOME OF THE RESPONSES MADE IN REPLY TO MR. CHAN'S QUESTION

IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS WEEK, THERE WOULD BE ADVANTAGE IN

DOING SO DURING THE UPCOMING DEBATE ON THE MOTION COMMENDING

THE AGREEMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THIS DEBATE, AS YOU KNOW, IS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT MONDAY AND TUESDAY (15 AND 16

OCTOBER).

HADDON-CAVE

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

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

CONFIDENTIAL