TNAG-1388-FCO40-1859-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Sino-British-Joint-Declaration-1985 — Page 298

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OO HONG KONG

GRS 228

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO 301730Z JAN 85

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 197 OF 30 JANUARY 1985

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

FOR GOVERNOR FROM GALSWORTHY

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: ANNUAL REPORT TO PARLIAMENT

1.

-_HKK 040/12

I UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU SAW THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON 22

JANUARY YOU DISCUSSED THE QUESTION OF AN ANNUAL REPORT TO

PARLIAMENT ON HONG KONG. YOU SAID THAT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF

EXISTING DOCUMENTS WHICH COULD BE ADAPTED WITHOUT TOO MUCH

DIFFICULTY TO MAKE SUCH A REPORT, AND AGREED TO LET THE SECRETARY

OF STATE HAVE SOME IDEAS.

2. IN VIEW OF THE CONTINUING PARLIAMENTARY PRESSURE MINISTERS

ARE INCLINING TOWARDS AGREEING TO PRESENT A GENERAL REPORT TO PARLIAMENT ANNUALLY COVERING THE WHOLE SPECTRUM OF DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, IF THIS IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT DIVERTING RESOURCES FROM OTHER MORE IMPORTANT TASKS. IN LIGHT

OF THIS WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR FURTHER THOUGHTS ON THE

SORT OF MATERIAL AVAILABLE AND ON HOW THE REPORT WOULD BE PREPARED. WE ARE NATURALLY ANXIOUS TO AVOID A COMMITMENT WHICH WOULD TIE UP OUR SLENDER RESOURCES IN PRODUCING EXTENSIVE MATERIAL

EXCLUSIVELY FOR THIS PURPOSE.

3.

MINISTERS MAY REFER TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH A REPORT IN THE DEBATE ON THE THIRD READING OF THE HONG KONG BILL. IN DOING SO THEY WILL MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IT WILL NOT BE A REPORT ON THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, THE WORK OF WHICH WILL BE CONFIDENTIAL.

लू

HOWE

LIMITED

HKD

FED

PS

PS/MR LUCE

SIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

CONFIDENTIAL