TNAG-1742-FCO40-2461-Proposed-visit-by-Lord-Glenarthur--Minister-of-State-for-For-1988 — Page 15

PS/Lord Glenarthur

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N P Dickerson

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Parliamentary Relations Unit

21 December 1988

DATE:

CC:

Mr Paul, HKD

Mr Godson, SEAD

PS/Mr Eggar

34

LORD GLENARTHUR'S VISIT TO THAILAND AND HONG KONG: OF MPS

BRIEFING

1. Hong Kong Dept and SEAD agree that there would be some merit in Lord Glenarthur briefing MPs upon his return from Hong Kong and Thailand. This could be done either through a meeting with members of the British/Hong Kong and

British/Thai All Party Groups or on a more individual basis with back-benchers generally who have an interest in the region.

2. However broad we try to make any agenda, it is likely that talk will, for the most part, dwell on Hong Kong which is never far from parliamentary minds: Refugees, 1997 and now the possibility of a Foreign Affairs Committee inquiry will all serve to bring Government policy into sharper focus. On this basis alone we should endeavour to ensure that MPs and any informal gossip in the House remains as well informed as possible of Government intentions and the reasons behind them. This inspite of the possible risk of doing the subject to death.

3.

The atmosphere of tomorrow's adjournment debate in the Commons on Hong Kong and Vietnamese refugees may have some bearing on Lord Glenarthur's preference for one type of meeting or the other.

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Nigel Dickerson

N P Dickerson

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