TNAG-1331-FCO40-1758-Future-of-Hong-Kong-test-of-the-acceptability-of-the-Joint-D-1984 — Page 157

Ref.: MT/4/04

CONFIDENTIAL

1

Commissioner, Assessment Office,

Assessment Office Report

Thank you for your confidential memo of 17 October 1984. As I mentioned this morning, you may feel that the moment has arrived at which it would be useful for Mr. Justice Li and me to have an informal talk with you and the DCAO about the way in which both we and you have in mind to prepare our respective reports. We would be able at the same time to take account of the views expressed in the F.C.0. telegram. Here are one or two thoughts in advance of a meeting.

2.

First, two points about the preparation of the

two independent reports: -

(a)

(b)

On the one hand, it would be unhelpful and, I would hope, unnecessary

for the Monitors to include in their report criticisms that might reasonably have been mentioned to the Commissioner, and which could prejudice the reception of an otherwise satisfactory report by the Assessment Office. On the other hand, with the Commissioner reporting independently to the Governor, and the Monitors reporting independently to the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, it would not seem sensible for the text of the Assessment Office report to be, in effect, agreed with

the Monitors. Hence the delicacy of the Monitoring task !

To be more specific, there may be no problem for the Monitors in reporting independently on whether the Assessment Office has "faithfully" followed the prescribed procedures and "properly" and "impartially" discharged its duties - though there may be comments about the issue of confidentiality and the publication of advertise- ments which the Monitors will feel it necessary

し