TNAG-2267-FCO40-3264-Labour-Party-policy-on-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 11

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Mr. Paut, HUKD

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CONFIDENTIAL

210 Foreign &

Commonwealth

Office

File: HKD®

кр

Mr Jone Some

London SW1 2AH

10 July 1991

4/7

Sir David Wilson GCMG

HONG KONG

Dear

ex Javid,

Ms

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you

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LABOUR PARTY POLICY ON HONG KONG

1.

I owe you a reply to your letter of 27 May, although I think we picked up most of the points in our discussions while. you were over here.

I had an opportunity to talk to George Foulkes about Labour Party policy towards Hong Kong. He said to me:

2.

(a) that nothing yet had been decided for the Party Manifesto; (b) that while he thought the next Governor should be a local Hong Kong Chinese, his colleagues on the Labour Front Bench did not agree and he thought it much more likely that they would go for a Politician; and (c) that, on other Hong Kong issues, they were increasingly paying attention to what Martin Lee said, on the basis that he was likely to be one of the directly-elected Politicians in the autumn and that it made sense for the Labour Party to reflect the views expressed by someone who had a popular mandate in Hong Kong.

3.

I know that other Members of the Labour Party have been saying other things. We will continue to keep eyes and ears open, although, as you may imagine, it is not at all feasible for us to take the initiative in this increasingly pre-electoral period. In any case, you have already set in motion the arrangements for meeting Mr Kinnock when you are next over here and that seems to be the best way forward.

4.

Incidentally, I gather that an invitation has been extended to Gerald Kaufman to visit Hong Kong and that he has accepted in principle. That is a welcome development, although it remains to be seen whether, and if so when, he takes up the invitation. If he does so, I hope the visit runs more smoothly than his last one!

Your

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R A Burns

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CONFIDENTIAL