TNAG-1331-FCO40-1758-Future-of-Hong-Kong-test-of-the-acceptability-of-the-Joint-D-1984 — Page 115

CONFIDENTIAL

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discharged its duties impartially

in particular, through

maintaining the passive role required of it, and in the

balanced way in which it has assessed the views of those

who are unwilling, as well as those who are willing, to

accept the draft agreement.

15.

Paragraph 5 (a) explained that the proper discharge

of the Assessment Office's duties must depend upon, among

other things, the faithful following of the procedures

presented in its terms of reference. In the light of

our auditing functions, as set out in paragraph 9, we

judge that the Assessment Office faithfully followed the

prescribed procedures, and that efficient practical

arrangements were made for that purpose.

16.

But the 'proper discharge' of the Assessment

Office's duties had to go wider than that. It is in this

context that we have considered the issue of confidentiality

to which the Commissioner has referred in paragraph

of the Assessment Office report.

17.

That issue received considerable local publicity,

and it needs to be seen in perspective. From the outset

the Assessment Office received letters of criticism and

rejection of the draft agreement, in which the names and