LAN
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
59
073432
MDHIAN 1668
HILD 34676
ace Mr. Kelly
4.0..
2 1 MAY 1993
TOP COPY
ST?
TELNO 816
INUC
OF 20120OZ MAY 93
ETHNIC MINORITIES.
1.
WE ARE STILL AWAITING A FINAL DECISION ON WHEN LEGCO MEMBERS INTEND TO VISIT LONDON ON THEIR LOBBYING MISSION, ALTHOUGH WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE LATEST DATES BEING CONSIDERED ARE 7-10 JUNE.
2. WE HAVE BEEN GIVING SOME THOUGHT TO BOTH THE TACTICS AND THE SUBSTANCE OF YOUR REPLY.
3.
IF MEMBERS DECIDE TO GO TO LONDON EARLIER THAN THEY HAD ORIGINALLY ENVISAGED, THEN THE DANGER OF BEING ACCUSED OF DELAYING YOUR REPLY IS DIMINISHED. HOWEVER, WE THINK THAT IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO TRY TO PREVENT THEM FROM SAYING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO LONDON TO
(A) (B)
DEMAND A REPLY: OR
PRESS FOR AN EARLY REPLY.
4. WE THINK WE COULD SPIKE THEIR GUNS BY SIMPLY INFORMING THE NATIONALITY SUB-COMMITTEE THAT THE HOME SECRETARY WISHES TO HEAR
THEIR VIEWS PERSONALLY BEFORE REACHING A DECISION ON THEIR PROPOSALS FOR THE ETHNIC MINORITIES.
5. AS REGARDS THE SUBSTANTIVE REPLY, IF YOU DECIDE NOT TO RESPOND POSITIVELY TO THE LEGCO PROPOSALS, THEN WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD MAKE IT CLEAR IN YOUR REPLY THAT THE HONG
KONG GOVERNMENT STRONGLY SUPPORTED LEGCO'S CASE AND MADE IT VIGOROUSLY TO THE GOVERNMENT. WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF THIS LINE COULD BE TAKEN WITH THE PRESS, IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS.
6. WE HAVE TRIED TO GIVE SOME THOUGHT AS TO HOW THE IMPACT OF A NEGATIVE REPLY MIGHT BE MITIGATED. ONE WAY TO DO THIS MIGHT BE TO
RESTATE IN SLIGHTLY MORE POSITIVE LANGUAGE THE PLEDGE MADE BY LADY YOUNG IN MARCH 1985 (DURING THE DEBATE ON THE 1985 HONG KONG
ACT) QUOTE:
THAT IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT THAT ANY BNOS AND BOCS CAME
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