TNAG-1334-FCO40-1766-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-1984 — Page 57

CONFIDENTIAL

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SERIOUS CHANCE OF THIS HAPPENING.

IF IT DID HAPPEN, IT WOULD

ONLY BE WHEN THE BILL HAD ALREADY OBVIOUSLY GOT INTO SERIOUS TIME TROUBLE, AND THE CHOICE WAS BETWEEN TAKING THEM OUT AND NOT BEING

IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES WE THINK IT WOULD ABLE TO RATIFY AT ALL. BE QUITE CLEAR TO EXCO WHY THE MEASURE HAD TO BE TAKEN.

4.

AT THIS STAGE WE THINK THAT FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO RAISE THIS EXTREMELY REMOTE POSSIBILITY WITH EXCO WOULD BE TO START A SERIOUS AND UNNECESSARY HARE HOWE

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1

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

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

MR J CROWLEY, PUSD

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 ER COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE

SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR P CRADOCK, ROOM K195

CONFIDENTIAL