TNAG-2049-FCO40-2919-Visits-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and--1990 — Page 116

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 1686

OF 11152OZ SEPTEMBER 90

CONFIDENTIAL

002127

MDHOAN 6618

TOP COPY Q DIST

PhiB 06/24

RECE

RY

SEP 1990

CE"

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD

S3

YOUR TELNOS 2741

EXCO AND OMELCO

@

2742: VISIT BY LORD CAITHNESS: MEETINGS WITH

1 MANY THANKS FOR THE GUIDANCE IN TURS. WE SHALL BRIEF THE MINISTER ACCORDINGLY.

2.

AS FAR AS THE MEETING WITH EXCO IS CONCERNED, I AM SURE THAT LORD CAITHNESS WILL WELCOME THE IDEA OF AN OFF THE CUFF AND RELATIVELY INFORMAL DISCUSSION. YOUR POINT ABOUT TAKING EXCO

INTO HIS CONFIDENCE IS WELL UNDERSTOOD HERE.

3. I NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT YOU DO NOT ENVISAGE ANY DISCUSSION OF FUTURE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT (RELATIONS BETWEEN EXCO AND LEGCO ETC). I AM HAPPY TO BE GUIDED BY YOU ON THIS, ALTHOUGH I EXPECT THAT LORD CAITHNESS WOULD APPRECIATE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COVER THIS SUBJECT AT SOME TIME DURING HIS VISIT. HOW WOULD YOU

ENVISAGE THIS BEING DONE QUERY

4.

AS FOR THE OMELCO DISCUSSION, THE AGENDA LOOKS ADMIRABLY COMPREHENSIVE. I HAVE ONLY ONE IMMEDIATE COMMENT, NAMELY THE PROPOSAL TO DISCUSS THE AU YEUNG CASE. THE MINISTER WOULD OF COURSE BE READY TO EXPLAIN THE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION ON RULE 58, ALONG THE LINES OF MR MAUDE'S LETTER TO YOU OF 27 JUNE. BUT I AM NOT SURE THAT HE WILL HAVE MUCH TO ADD TO THE DEPARTMENT'S TELEGRAM ABOUT THE AU YEUNG CASE. DO OMELCO SERIOUSLY EXPECT THE DECISION TO BE REOPENED QUERY. OR IS THIS RATHER A PRETEXT FOR A MORE GENERAL DISCUSSION OF THE APPLICATION OF RULE 58 QUERY.

HURD

YYYY

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