ZCZC
MILNAN 7773 OCMIAN 7773
RESTRICTED
PP HOKON
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
241330Z FEB
GRS 335
RESTRICTED
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 366
OF 241330Z FEBRUARY 86
273)
274
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17773
Hinn Octo
ник
RECEIVED A REGISTRY
2 5FEB 1986
DESK OFFICER INDEX
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
YOUR TELNOS 540 AND 558: PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS RELATING TO
HONG KONG
1. OUR PRACTICE HAS LONG BEEN TO CONSULT YOU ON AN ANSWER ONLY
WHEN WE CONSIDER THAT A PROPOSED FCO REPLY TO A PQ WITH RELEVANCE
TO HONG KONG IS IN ANY WAY CONTROVERSIAL. WE ARE OURSELVES
CONSULTED BY DEPARTMENTS OUTSIDE THE FCO ONLY WHEN THE DEPARTMENT
THAT IS DOWN TO ANSWER THE PQ CONSIDERS ITS PROPOSED REPLY TO BE
CONTROVERSIAL OR REQUIRES FACTUAL INFORMATION FROM US. WE WOULD
THEN BE ASKED FOR ADVICE, AND IF WE AGREED THAT THE REPLY WAS
CONTROVERSIAL IN HONG KONG TERMS, WOULD CONSULT YOU, AS WE
REGULARLY DO.
2. SINCE YOU HAVE RAISED THEM, IN THE FOUR INSTANCES YOU QUOTE
THE POSITION WAS AS FOLLOWS:
A) THE HOME OFFICE CONSULTED US ON THEIR REPLY, WHICH WAS
A FACTUAL ONE TO WHICH YOU COULD NOT HAVE CONTRIBUTED.
B)
ODA CONSULTED US. WE AGREED TO THEIR FACTUAL AND
UNCONTROVERSIAL REPLY. THE QUESTION WAS A VERY ODD ONE.
C) MOD DID NOT CONSULT US ON THEIR INTERIM DRAFT REPLY TO
MR CLARKE'S QUESTION. THEY HAVE SINCE CONSULTED US ON THEIR SUBSTANTIVE REPLY, WHICH IS A PURELY FACTUAL RESPONSE AND WAS, WE
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