TNAG-1356-FCO40-1797-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 167

252

263

GRS 800 SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 15100OZ FCO

TELNO 2510

OF 15084OZ NOVEMBER 85

SECRET

AMENDED DISTRIBUTION 15 NOVEMBER 1985

INFO DESKBY 160100Z PEKING

(269

(270)

MY TELNO 2505 AND YOUR TELNO 1788 : JOINT LIAISON GROUP :

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG

FOR THEIR MEETING TODAY EXCO HAD BEFORE THEM :

(A) A SUMMARY OF MY TELNO 2490 WHICH PEPORTED ON THE COUNCIL'S ASSESSMENT AND ADVICE GIVEN ON 13 NOVEMBER:

(B) AN EDITED VERSION OF YOUR TELNO 1778 WHICH SET OUT MINISTER

INITIAL REACTIONS: AND

(C) THE TEXT OF PARAS 2 TO 7 OF YOUR TELNO 1788 (WITH MINOR EDITORIAL CHANGES) GIVING ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS RAISED IN MY

TELNO 2505.

2. THE COUNCIL NOTED THAT :

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(A) MINISTERS HAD AGREED THAT WE SHOULD NOT ACCEPT THE CHINESE PROPOSAL THAT A STUDY BE MADE FOR THE ISSUES CALLING FOR CONSULTATION AND SOLUTION BY BOTH SIDES ON THE BASIS OF MA

WRITTEN ACCOUNT (PROVIDED BY THE BRITISH SIDE) OF THE CONDITIONS

RELATING TO THE CHANGES IN GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG AFTER THE

PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER'':

(B) THERE WOULD BE NO FORMAL WRITTEN AGENDA FOR THE JLG MEETING AND THAT MINISTERS SAW NO NEED TO ACCEPT THE CHINESE 'PEICE OF PAPER AS CONSTITUTING THE DEFINITION OF THE AGENDA ITEM:

(C) IT WAS PROPOSED TO PLACE THE BRIEFING, WHICH WOULD BE GIVEN ORALLY ON THE CHANGES ARISING OUT OF THE WHITE PAPER WHICH HAD BEEN MADE IN HONG KONG, IN THE CONTEXT OF EXCHANGING INFORMATION ON SUCH SUBJECTS AS MAY BE AGREED BY THE TWO SIDES'

AND THAT THIS SHOULD NOT LEAD TO DISCUSSION IN THE JLG OF OUR

FUTURE PLANS:

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INDEX

(D) IF THERE WAS ANY PUBLIC SUGGESTION THAT THE CHINESE WERE

ASSERTING AND THE UK ALLOWING THE JLG A SUPERVISORY ROLE OVER THE

PRE-1997 ADMINISTRATION, MINISTERS WOULD BE PREPARED TO MAKE CLEAR PUBLICLY THAT THERE HAD ONLY BEEN AN EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION:

THAT UNDER THE JD IT WAS FOR BRITAIN TO ADMINISTER THE TERRITOPY

UNTIL 1997 AND THAT ACCORDINGLY ANY DECISIONS WOULD BE TAKEN BY

BRITAIN: THAT THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF THE JLG EXERCISING ANY

'SUPERVISORY ROLE: AND THAT THERE WOULD BE A GREEN PAPER IN 1997 ON WHICH EVERYONE IN HONG KONG WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS

THEIR VIEWS BEFORE ANY DECISIONS WERE TAKEN.

SECRET

13.

HKK OU

RECVED IN REGISTRY

19 NOV 1985

DESK OFEN

STRY

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