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4. In this situati on the Ministers here and the Governor, have been anxious to ensure that the views of all sections of. the community in Hong Kong are effectively expressed by the appointed Unofficials in the Legislative Council. To this end the Governor, in August 1976, announced the expansion of the Legislative Council by eight Unofficials and eight Officials, Unofficial appointments being drawn from a wider social background than hitherto.
Hong Kong and the United Nations.
i
5. In 1972 the Chinese objected to the continued inclusion of Hong Kong (and Macao) in the list of those territories to which
the declaration on the granting of independence applies. At the request of the Chinese, the Committee of 24 then recommended the removal of Hong Kong (and Macao) from the list. By approving
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the report of the Committee the XXVIIth session of the General Assembly put this recommendation into effect.
6. HMG maintained that this decision in no way affected the legal status of Hong Kong. However, it was decided that in the circumstances no practical purpose would be served by continuing to transmit to the UN economic and social data on Hong Kong, as we are obliged under, Article 73(e)s of the
of the UN Charter to do on non-self-governing territories. (The UK view was set out in Sir Colin Crowe's letter to
• the Secretary-General of 14 December 1972:
a copy of which is attached)
7. We hold to this view, but wishto avoid argument with the Chinese in the UN over the status of Hong Kong. The question is unlikely to arise, but it is possible that the Russians might
raise it in order to embarrass the Chinese. If the Chinese
were to respond by making a simple protest for the record, the UK delegation should report this immediately to the FCO and circu- late a formal rebuttal on the following lines:
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CONFIDENTIAL
/"With reference