TNAG-1750-FCO40-2470-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1988 — Page 19

CONFIDENTIAL

(c) Contact with Recent Visitors to Hong Kong

There may be a particular case for contacting recent backbench visitors to Hong Kong. Mr James Hill appears to have implied in public in Hong Kong that the debate would be ill-attended and would achieve nothing, because the British Government had washed its hands of Hong Kong and was under pressure to maintain the status quo. Mr Robert Hughes and Mr Clive Soley were quoted in the Hong Kong press as saying that they believe direct elections should be introduced this year.

4. A further factor to be considered is a possible second visit by

Mr Martin Lee. He has indicated in Hong Kong that he will come to

London before the debate, but as yet we have heard nothing from him. Ministers have agreed that if he seeks a meeting with them he

should be received on his own by Lord Glenarthur and, if possible,

taken on for a brief meeting with the Secretary of State. Our handling of the press may well need to be adjusted to deal with any new propaganda onslaught from Mr Lee.

сти

CO Hum

backbenchers

will

There seems

support

little doubt

15ろし

some

opposition

The

live

raken

виз

Mr

Lee

, wicluding

his call for direct electra's

1988

нагрий

whatever

preemptive

1521

Come

achoni contact

is

with

taken

вис

i misters

жаз

be fore

The

detrake

given

The

the opposition foul beuch

widication

is

feel desiszik

Felno 46

1526

Mr Foulkes

маз

have

keen

mi

converted

Hong Kong

ho

The

B

し

10- 1988

I brifed lumi

cause

с не

seemed

pretty open-

on

стану оч

이

his

meetings

enggeles y our hee)

CONFIDENTIAL

7 January

ai Hong Kong

wer

unvided when

muinte ņ that date

with pressure groups

13.

•

Bul