TNAG-1902-FCO40-2701-Future-of-Hong-Kong-briefing-1989 — Page 15

CODE 18-77

Heads of:

Reference

Defence Dept

NENAD

News Dept

Protocol Dept

Sec Pol Dept

SAMD

APD

NCAD

ACDD

CCD

CSCE Unit

SCD

ECD (E)

ECD (I)

EED

ERD

FID

SAD

SAFD

SEAD

FED

HKD

UND

MED

Soviet Dept

(

HK passay)

HKB 040 14

ра

27/9

163

QUEEN'S SPEECHES ON THE PROROGATION AND OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

1. We have now received from the Cabinet Office the first consolidated drafts of these speeches, which incorporate our contribution (circulated with my minute of 30 August on the basis of submissions from Departments).

2. The Cabinet Office have made very few alterations to the drafts. The reference in the prorogation speech to the Antarctic mineral resources Act has been deleted to save length: I understand SAmD could live with this.

3. In the opening speech the arms control paragraph has been shortened (so that there is now no reference to START) and the reference to the 1990 Cocaine reduction conference has been removed.

4.

My own view is that we should be able to accept these changes. However I should be grateful if you would now look again at the drafts, and let me know whether you have any serious objection to the language now proposed for your

area.

Deadline COP Tuesday 19 September. Silence will be taken as a nil return.

5.

14 September 1989

SB5ACN

S J Butt

Policy Planning Staff

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