TNAG-1331-FCO40-1758-Future-of-Hong-Kong-test-of-the-acceptability-of-the-Joint-D-1984 — Page 70

Sir P Nairne GCB, MC

Office of the Monitoring Team

The Supreme Court 38 Queensway

HONG KONG

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

130

4 October 1984

Dear die Parish,

Many thanks for your letter of 1 October. I am glad that things are beginning to fall into shape!

1.

2.

I was a little alarmed at the prospect of your asking for extra staff, since this would cause us considerable difficulties on funding grounds. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is already overspent, and those who look after our finances consider it that we are already spending too much on the monitoring exercise! Incidentally, can the figure of £5000 per week be right? It sounds extremely high. I myself doubt whether the addition of extra staff would add any credibility to your report. The point is that there should be an assessment made by two independent prominent people of experience and integrity, such as yourself and Judge Li. It is very much your personal impressions that the Secretary of State will wish to have and to present to Parliament. If the exercise appeared to be more bureaucratic, I think it is likely it would diminish rather than add to its credibility.

Yun

Quer

г

A C Galsworthy

Head, Hong Kong Department