CONFIDENTIAL
(34)
Private Secretary
HKK 011/1
11FED 1905
From: R P Osborne Date: 4 February 1985
cc: Sir W Harding
Dr Wilson
Mr Galsworthy
Mr Bickford,
Legal Advisers Mr Orr, FED
HONG KONG: AMENDMENTS TO LETTERS PATENT AND ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS
1. Mr Luce read over the weekend Mr Galsworthy's minute of 31 January on this subject. He takes the view that HMG must be seen to be in real charge of Hong Kong until 1997 with the Governor able to govern. Certain measures may be necessary to ensure this. He feels however that we need to assess a little further whether the Chinese would be likely to use this in the Basic Law and what the implications would be.
2.
We also need a careful assessment of how Hong Kong is likely to react. Even if they were to react adversely to reserved powers for the Governor we would still retain the power to instruct the Governor from London.
Rapida
RP Osborne
APS/Mr Luce
CONFIDENTIAL
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