TNAG-1413-FCO40-1889-Future-of-Hong-Kong-annual-report-to-Parliament-on-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 254

GRS 200

CONFIDENTIAL OP COPY

Нак оно то

RECEIVED IN KEGISTRY

13 SEP 1985

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1901

OF 1309152 SEPTEMBER 25

14

16.

DESK

INT

YOUR TELSNOS 1310 AND 1326 : ANNUAL REPORT

JAW

1. YOU MAY RECALL THAT THERE WAS A VERY SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF

INTEREST HERE IN AN ANNUAL REPORT TO PARLIAMENT WHICH WAS

DESIGNED TO DEMONSTRATE PARLIAMENT'S CONTINUED INTEREST IN HONG

KONG. TO QUOTE FROM MR LUCE'S SPEECH IT HAS BEEN THE STRONG

DESIRE OF THE HOUSE ON BOTH SIDES TO RETAIN THE CLOSEST POSSIBLE

INTEREST IN HONG KONG IN THE YEARS UP TO 1997 ... IT IS PARTLY FOR THAT REASON THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT FELT IT RIGHT TO

MAKE CONCESSIONS ON ANNUAL REPORTS AND DUE DEBATE ON THE DRAFT

ORDER (ON NATIONALITY) '' THIS EXPRESSION OF CONTINUING INTEREST

WILL LOOK VERY HOLLOW HERE IF NO PARLIAMENTARY INTEREST WHATSOEVER

IS SHOWN IN THE REPORT AT THE TIME OF ITS PUBLICATION. I RECOGNISE

THAT A DEBATE ON THE REPORT IS VERY UNLIKELY BUT IT OCCURRED TO ME

THAT FOR ME TO BE INVITED TO SPEAK TO THE ANGLO-HONG KONG

PARLIAMENTARY GROUP WOULD BE USEFUL EVIDENCE OF CONTINUING

PARLIAMENTARY INTEREST. HENCE MY IDEA OF VISITING LONDON.

.

2. IT NOW SEEMS IN ANY CASE THAT THE WHITE PAPER ON THE NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL WILL BE DEBATED IN MID-DECEMBER. THIS DEBATE MAY THEREFORE ATTRACT ATTENTION TO THE ANNUAL REPORT AS WELL. I SHOULD

BE VERY SURPRISED IF SIR S Y CHUNG AND SOME OF HIS COLLEAGUES

DO NOT TRAVEL TO LONDON FOR THE NATIONALITY DEDATE. WE MIGHT LEAVE

UNTIL NEARER THE TIME A DECISION ON WHETHER MY PRESENCE WOULD

BE DESIRABLE OR NOT.

YOUDE

Limited

HKD

PS

PS/MR. RENTON DR. WILSON

CONFIDENTIAL

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