TNAG-1837-FCO40-2612-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 47

サ

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 223

OF 20110OZ JANUARY 89

CONFIDENTIAL

19

006514

MDHIAN 9306

MKB 011/30

L

४

4

16

YRTELNOS 180-182: FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ENQUIRY INTO HONG KONG

1.

THANK YOU FOR THE USEFUL INFORMATION IN TURS. SURPRISINGLY, THE FAC ANNOUNCEMENT WAS NOT PICKED UP OVERNIGHT BY THE MEDIA. IF AND WHEN WE ARE ASKED FOR OUR REACTION WE WILL MAKE AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO THE EFFECT THAT WE SEE THIS AS EVIDENCE OF PARLIAMENT'S

CONTINUING INTEREST IN HONG KONG AND WILL CO-OPERATE FULLY AS REQUIRED.

2. IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE YOUR ADVICE ON WHAT SORT OF REQUESTS THE COMMITTEE MIGHT MAKE FOR HKG INVOLVEMENT AND THE PARAMETERS WITHIN WHICH IT WOULD BE RIGHT TO REACT. I NOTE FROM THE ENQUIRY ON

GIBRALTAR HELD IN 1980-81 THAT THE FAC VISITED GIBRALTAR AND HELD MEETINGS WITH THE GOVERNOR, THE CHIEF MINISTER, OTHER SENIOR MINISTERS AND SEVERAL COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS. NEITHER THE GOVERNOR NOR THE CHIEF MINISTER GAVE FORMAL EVIDENCE: BUT BOTH SUBMITTED MEMORANDA ON SPECIFIC ISSUES AND THE CHIEF MINISTER REPLIED IN

WRITING TO QUESTIONS PUT TO HIM BY THE FAC. THE RECORDS OF THE FAC'S

MEETINGS WITH THEM AND OTHERS WERE DEPOSITED IN THE LIBRARY OF THE

HOUSE OF OCOMMONS, BUT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE REPORT ITSELF.

3. I TAKE IT FROM THIS THAT NEITHER I NOR ANY OF MY OFFICIALS WILL BE

ASKED TO GIVE EVIDENCE, BUT THAT FORMAL RECORDS WILL BE TAKEN OF MEETINGS THAT THE FAC HAVE WITH US DURING THEIR VISIT TO HONG KONG. GRATEFUL FOR ADVICE ON WHETHER THE FAC ARE LIKELY TO PUT WRITTEN

QUESTIONS TO ME AND WHETHER THE HKG WILL BE ASKED, OR WHETHER WE

SHOULD VOLUNTEER, TO SUBMIT WRITTEN EVIDENCE IN SOME FORM OR OTHER.

WOULD I BE RIGHT IN THINKING THAT MOST OF THE DETAILED INFORMATION THAT THE FAC MAY REQUIRE WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE FCO?

WILSON

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