TNAG-1838-FCO40-2613-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 25

MAXAAJ

CONFIDENTIAL

65

gi

FROM:

A R Paul

115 FEB 1989

Hong Kong Department

DATE:

15 February 1989

CC:

Mr Gillmore

PS/Lord Glenarthur

s/Lord/Glen

Private Secretary

65

-

HKB 011/3

DIN REGISTR

28 FEB 1987

SY OFFICER

Mr McLaren,

Mr Burns, News Dept

Mr Holt, PRU

Mr Edwards, Legal Advisers

RECLARY

=

aken

FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ENQUIRY INTO HONG KONG

Lord Glenarthur chaired a meeting yesterday to discuss the

outline Memorandum for the FAC and to plan our approach to the

enquiry.

1.

A

B

2. I submit a revised draft of the outline Memorandum attached to

my submission of 10 February. This takes account of comments by Lord Glenarthur and Mr McLaren at yesterday's meeting. The deadline

for submission of the final version is 1 March.

3. The following game-plan was agreed:

(i) Secretary of State's involvement

a) There would be advantage in the Secretary of State briefing

David Howell one on one and David Howell and Peter Shore together

before 8 March. With David Howell, and to a large extent with Peter

Shore, the Secretary of State could be frank in explaining the delicacy of our negotiations with the Chinese, how the dialogue is conducted, the importance of getting the right results rather than being seen to be squaring-up to the Chinese, the risk of damaging confidence in Hong Kong if we take a confrontional approach etc. Some of this ground could also be covered at the informal briefing

session for the Committee on 8 March.

CONFIDENTIAL