TNAG-1837-FCO40-2612-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 57

13

ente

Mr Paul

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB 011/3

¦ RECEIVED IN

20 JA89

DESK N

FAC: HONG KONG: TERMS OF REFERENCE

PS/PUS

FROM: D H Gillmore

CC:

W37 270 2156

17 January 1989 PS

PS/Lord Glenarthur Mr McLaren

Mr Holt, PRU

1. I should, for the record, let you know that I had a call from the Clerk of the Foreign Affairs Committee last evening about the terms of reference for the Committee's enquiry into Hong Kong. Mr Wilson said that the Chairman had been most grateful for the paper submitted on 16 January which he had found very helpful. It was on the basis of this paper and the clarification it had provided about the precise areas of responsibility of HMG and the Chinese Government that the Chairman and Clerk had tried their hand at a first draft. Mr Wilson said he wanted to sound me out privately and informally on the key passages of the text.

2. He read over on the telephone what he and the Chairman had drafted. The introduction referred to the House of Commons vote on 14 December 1984 endorsing the agreement on the future of Hong Kong enshrined in the Joint Declaration. The text went on as follows:

3.

"Taking that as its starting point, the Committee will enquire into progress in implementing this Agreement. In particular the Committee will enquire into the British Government's responsibility to administer Hong Kong up to 30 June 1997, the British Government's role in preparing for a smooth transfer of government, and into the way in which the British Government exercises its right to satisfy itself that the provisions of the Basic Law properly reflect the terms of the Joint Declaration."

Mr Wilson asked for immediate reactions. He was hoping that the Chairman would agree the terms of reference later that evening and it was his intention to circulate these together with the text of our paper to other members of the Committee.

4. I jibbed at the short notice. Mr Wilson was, however, insistent, although apologetic. After consultation with Mr McLaren, we

put to Mr Wilson an alternative version to the substantive text set out in paragraph 2 above on the following lines:

!!

.... The Committee will enquire into:

the British Government's role in implementing the Joint Declaration, including preparations for a smooth transfer of government;

progress in discussions with the Chinese Government on for the implementation of the Joint Declaration and

related issues;

CONFIDENTIAL

/the