TNAG-1471-FCO40-2001-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 106

GRS250 CONFIDENT FAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 21

OF 03103OZ JANUARY 86

INFO. PRIORITY PEKING

CONFIDENTIAL

Kather

AKD showed have Ако top

322)HHH (27/6(1985)

YOUR TELNO I104: MR RENTON'S PRESS CONFERENC

FERENT OP

TOP COPY

1. THERE WILL OF COURSE BE INTENSE INTEREST AMONG THE PRESS HERE

IN MR RENTON'S VISIT, AND IT IS INEVITABLE THAT DIFFICULT ISSUES WILL BE RAISED AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE.

2. HE WILL BE IN HONG KONG JUST AFTER THE DEBATES IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND HOUSE OF LORDS ON THE NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL.

HE WILL BE QUESTIONED CLOSELY ON THE ATTITUDE WHICH HMG WILL

ADOPT ON THE REPRESENTATIONS MADE BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON

ENDORESEMENTS OF THE RIGHT TO LAND IN THE UK ON BN (0) PASSPORTS, AND BRITISH CITIZENSHIP FOR MINORITIES SUCH AS THE INDIANS.

3. THERE WILL THEREFORE NEED TO BE A MEANS OF INFORMING HIM

OF THE OUTCOME OF THE LORDS DEBATE WITH RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE LINE HE SHOULD TAKE AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE ON T.

4. HE WILL ALSO BE CLOSELY QUESTIONED ABOUT HMG'S ATTITUDE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG: THE CONTENT OF ANY DISCUSSIONS HE WILL HAVE HAD WITH THE CHINESE ON THE

QUESTION OF CONVERGENCE BETWEEN OUR PLANS AND THE BASIC LAW: ON

WHETHER THE CHINESE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A VETO ON OUR PLANS: AND ON

HMG'S ATTITUDE TO SUCH MATTERS AS DIRECT ELECTIONS. THE CHINESE WILL

NO DOUBT ALSO BE LISTENING CAREFULLY TO WHAT HE SAYS ON THIS MATTER.

WE SHALL TELEGRAPH SHORTLY THE KEY QUESTIONS WHICH ARE LIKELY TO

BE PUT TO HIM ON THESE ISSUES SO THAT PRELIMINARY ANSWERS CAN BE

CONSIDERED BEFORE HE LEAVES LONDON.

5. TRADE ISSUE ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE RAISED BUT IT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED THAT SOME QUESTIONS ON TRADE MATTERS WILL BE THROWN AT HIM

BY CORRESPONDENTS. YOU AND THE DTIL WILL NO DOUBT WISH TO GIVE HIM A CAREFUL BRIEF ON THIS ASPECT.

WE WILL BE VERY READY TO OFFER A CONTRIBUTION TO IT.

YOUDE

LIMITED FED HKD

PROTOCOL. D.

NTD

PS/MR. RENTON PS/PUS

MR. WILSON

CONFIDENTIAL

ник orals 0175

A-CEIVED IN REGISTRY

DESK

INDEX

0 8 JAN 1986

CER

PA

RY