TNAG-1411-FCO40-1887-Future-of-Hong-Kong--Hong-Kong-a-Change-of-Destiny---despatc-1985 — Page 13

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr. Kewell

Mr Galsworthy, Hong Kong Dept

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Hong Kong: A Change of Destiny

W

The Secretary of State has seen the Governor's despatch on the above subject which you submitted on 1 August.

Given the importance of the developments recorded in this document, the Secretary of State feels that it would be appropriate to send the Governor a short reply from himself. I should be grateful if you could let us have a draft, picking up the points in the covering minutes indicated by the Secretary of State. For personal flavour you might refer to some or all of the following three points:

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

the indication by Deng during our August 1984 visit to Peking that the Chinese had decided they could trust Britain on Hong Kong;

Sir S Y's comment in EXCO the following day that he felt able to commend the agreement to the people of Hong Kong in good conscience;

the fact that at the Guard of Honour for the Prime Minister in Tien An Men in December some 150 Hong Kong people were present alongside the British delegation.

I am happy to help in working up these anecdotal references if necessary!

Achatt

16 September 1985

(P F Ricketts)

cc:

PS/PUS

Sir W Harding

Dr Wilson

FED

CONFIDENTIAL