TNAG-1446-FCO40-1930-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 44

SECRET

-2-

of the draft Sino-British Agreement on the future of Hong

Kong was conducted by an independent assessment office,

separate from the ordinary machinery of the Hong Kong

Government, and its work was closely observed by a

monitoring team appointed by the Secretary of State for

Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs. One of the two monitors

was a former United Kingdom civil servant, and the other a

Hong Kong High Court Judge. At the meeting on the 24th

November, Members agreed that neither of; these two

arrangements would be appropriate for the 1987 Review.

3.

It is important that:

a) the Hong Kong Government must be seen to be

capable of undertaking an impartial assessment

of public opinion on this matter;

b)

the suggestion be avoided that the survey

L

is being monitored by the British (or the

Chinese) Government; and

c) it be understood that the issues to be

discussed in the 1987 Review are significant but

not of the ultimate significance as was the

acceptability of the draft Sino-British

Agreement.

SECRET

}