TNAG-1837-FCO40-2612-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 14

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053501 MDHOAN 4103

8.

ON PARA 6 OF TUR, WE AGREE THAT THERE MIGHT BE CERTAIN CASES E.G. VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WHERE IT MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR THE HKG TO PUT IN A SEPARATE SUBMISSION. PERHAPS WE COULD DISCUSS THIS

ALSO DURING YOUR VISIT.

9. ON PARA 8 OF TUR, WE AGREE THAT WE SHOULD BE CHARY OF ADVISING WHOM THE COMMITTEE SHOULD SEE. WE HAVE SIMPLY AGREED TO PROVIDE A LIST OF THE MAIN HONG KONG GROUPS, WITH SOME ASSESSMENT OF THEIR STANDING, IF THE COMMITTEE WOULD FIND IT HELPFUL.

10. WE NOTE THAT REG HOLLOWAY IS CONTENT THAT BTC SHOULD LOOK AFTER ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS.

11. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ADVICE ON POSSIBLE VENUES FOR ANY OPEN HEARINGS. WE WILL PASS THIS ON TO THE COMMITTEE WHEN WE KNOW WHETHER THEY DO INTEND TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS IN HONG

KONG.

12.

ON PARA 11 OF TUR, THE CLERK TO THE COMMITTEE INITIALLY WELCOMED YOUR SUGGESTION THAT HOARE AND LEEKS MIGHT CALL ON HIM DURING YOUR VISIT TO LONDON. BUT HE HAS NOW ASKED WHETHER YOU WOULD BE PREPARED TO MET THE COMMITTEE YOURSELF IN ORDER TO GIVE THEM AN INFORMAL BRIEFING ON THE LATEST POSITION IN HONG KONG AND ANSWER ANY PARTICULAR POINTS THEY MAY HAVE AT THIS STAGE. THE CLERK SAID THAT THIS QUESTION WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY COME UP AT THE COMMITTEE'S MEETING ON 8 FEBRUARY SINCE THEY WOULD BE AWARE THAT YOU WERE HAVING LUNCH WITH THE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN. IF YOU AGREED TO SUCH A MEETING IT WOULD BE ON A STRICTLY OFF-THE-RECORD, UNATTRIBUTABLE BASIS AND WOULD NOT BE REFERRED TO IN ANY FUTURE FORMAL EVIDENCE. IT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THE KIND OF INFORMAL BRIEFING SESSIONS SOMETIMES ARRANGED WITH AMBASSADORS ON MID-TOUR LEAVE. ON BALANCE WE SEE ADVANTAGE IN YOUR AGREEING TO THIS REQUEST BOTH IN THE INTERESTS OF BEING HELPFUL TO THE COMMITTEE AND AS A USEFUL OPPORTUNITY TO BRING HOME TO ALL THE MPS CONCERNED THE VARIOUS SENSITIVITIES RELATED TO THIS ENQUIRY. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS.

HOWE

YYYY

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