TNAG-1356-FCO40-1797-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 160

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270)

outi

5778

1

OCMIAN 5778

SECRET

DD 15010OZ PEKIN

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

141430Z NOV

GRS 1300

SECRET

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 150100Z HONG KONG

TELNO 1788

OF 141430Z NOVEMBER 85

INFO DESKBY 150100Z PEKING

(269)

HKK 01111

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

19 NOV 1985

REGISTRY ¡Action Taken

AGB 19/1

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

YOUR TELNO 2505: JOINT LIAISON GROUP: REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT

IN HONG KONG

1.

MINISTERS WERE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SPEEDY ACTION TO

RECONVENE EXCO. THEY SEE THE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS AS

FOLLOWS.

2.

THERE IS NO FORMAL WRITTEN AGENDA FOR EACH JLG MEETING,

AND IT IS MUCH BETTER THAT IT SHOULD REMAIN THIS WAY SO THAT WE

CAN AVOID ANY WRANGLE OVER ITS EXACT TERMS. THE AGENDA HAS

BEEN ESTABLISHED BY INFORMAL DISCUSSION AND UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN

THE TWO SIDES. DISCUSSION IN THE JLG REMAINS INFORMAL UNLESS AND

UNTIL WE START HANDING EACH OTHER WRITTEN STATEMENTS. THIS HAS

BEEN DELIBERATE POLICY ON OUR SIDE.

2.

! IN THIS CASE WE SEE NO NEED TO ACCEPT THE CHINESE PIECE OF

PAPER AS CONSTITUTING THE DEFINITION OF THE AGENDA ITEM. IN

FACT WE WOULD PROPOSE TO EXPLOIT THE DISTINCTION IN THE LAST

PARAGRAPH OF IT BETWEEN BRIEFING ON WHAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED IN

HONG KONG AS A RESULT OF THE WHITE PAPER, AND CONSULTATIONS ABOUT

THE FUTURE. WE ENVISAGE THAT THE EMBASSY WOULD BE INSTRUCTED TO

SPEAK ALONG THE FOLLOWING LINES:

(A) WE HAVE NOTED THE CHINESE SUGGESTION, AND HAVE NO

OBJECTION TO AN EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER

(WHICH WE WOULD NOT DEFINE FURTHER) AT THE FORTHCOMING

1

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