CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 09010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 3193
OF 08131OZ DECEMBER 87
INFO IMMEDIATE
PEKING
667
011/2.
CONFIDENTIAL
"HUB2 011/2 NBIAL
14 DEC 1987
034212
MDHOAN 4522
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
YOUR TELNO 4608 AND TELECON FOOTMAN/CHAN: VISIT OF MARTIN LEE TO LONDON: CALL ON LORD GLENARTHUR
1.
AS ANTICIPATED, THE WHOLE DELEGATION CAME TO THE FOREIGN OFFICE THIS MORNING, 8 DECEMBER. THE REMAINING MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION STAYED AT THE AMBASSADOR'S ENTRANCE WHILE MARTIN LEE, JACKIE CHAN AND DR CONRAD LAM WERE RECEIVED BY LORD GLENARTHUR. ALSO PRESENT WERE REDDAWAY (PS/LORD GLENARTHUR), HUM AND FOOTMAN (HKD), AND OSBORNE (NEWS DEPARTMENT).
2.
WITHOUT SITTING DOWN AND APPARENTLY RATHER ALARMED BY THE APPEARANCE OF A REUTERS PHOTOGRAPHER (PRESENT AT HIS OWN REQUEST FOR A PHOTOCALL), MARTIN LEE BEGAN BY REPEATING HIS REQUEST THAT LORD GLENARTHUR SHOULD ALSO RECEIVE THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION. THEY HAD PAID THEIR OWN FARES TO COME TO THE UK. MR LUCE HAD RECEIVED ALL MEMBERS OF A SIMILAR DELEGATION IN 1984 ALTHOUGH ADMITTEDLY THERE WERE NO LEGCO MEMBERS ON THE EARLIER DELEGATION.
3.
LORD GLENARTHUR SAID HE WAS NOT PREPARED TO SEE THE REST OF THE DELEGATION. THE BASIS ON WHICH HE HAD OFFERED TO RECEIVE THE LEGCO MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION HAD BEEN MADE CLEAR TO THEM BEFORE THE DELEGATION HAD LEFT HONG KONG. HE BELIEVED THE GROUP KNEW WHY HE WAS PREPARED ONLY TO RECEIVE THE LEGCO MEMBERS. THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG HAD BEEN FULLY CONSULTED AND GIVEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE GREEN PAPER. HE WAS PREPARED TO SEE THE LEGCO MEMBERS IN VIEW OF THEIR SPECIAL POSITION. HE WAS MOST WILLING TO LISTEN TO WHATEVER THEY HAD TO SAY.
3.
LEE SAID THAT IN THAT CASE, AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE, HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTINUE WITH THE MEETING. HE HANDED TO LORD GLENARTHUR A LENGTHY LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE PRIME MINISTER (WHICH WE HAVE SENT TO YOU BY FACSIMILE AND WILL SEND TO PEKING BY BAG), EXPLAINING THAT IT WOULD BE RELEASED TO MP'S AND THE PRESS AT NOON. HE SAID HE APPRECIATED THAT THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE FOREIGN SECRETARY WERE HEAVILY COMMITTED THIS WEEK: BUT THE DELEGATION WERE HOPING AND WILLING TO COME AGAIN AT A TIME WHEN IT WOULD BE CONVENIENT FOR THEM TO BE RECEIVED BY THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, IN JANUARY (I.E. BEFORE
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CONFIDENTIAL
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