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CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
See
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FM HONG KONG 990949Z JAN 73
TOP COPY
TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO.62 OF 9 JANUARY.
INFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
FOLLOWING FOR CORTAZZI.
HKK 243/1
63
EIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 57
-
- 9 JAN 1979
DISK OF CER
INDEX
all
RE
Action
RY
فرم
2+7
YOUR TELNO.14 :
HUEY FONG''.
1
I AM REPORTING SEPARATELY ON THE OUTCOME OF TODAY'S EXECUTIVE
COUNCIL DISCUSSION OF THE NEW LEGISLATION, SOME OF THE ALTERATIONS
RECOMMENDED BY EXCO REFLECT THE STRONG FEELING AMONGST UNOFFICIALS
THAT DRASTIC ACTION IS NEEDED TO PROTECT HONG KONG AGAINST THE NEW
TRADE IN BOGUS SHIPWRECKS.
2. I AM MOST GRATEFUL FOR THE SPEED WITH WHICH THE DEPARTMENT
REACTED TO OUR PROPOSALS FOR NEW LEGISLATION, THE REVISED DRAFTS
WILL NOW GO BEFORE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TOMORROW AND, IF APPROVED, WILL BE PUBLISHED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE EFFECT.
3. I AM RELIEVED TO SEE FROM YOUR TEL UNDER REF THAT YOU EXPECT
TO GET A REPLY FROM THE HOME SECRETARY DURING THIS WEEK ABOUT A U.K OFFER TO ACCEPT REFUGEES FROM THE EXISTING BACKLOG. SUCH
AN OFFER FROM THE U.K IS ESSENTIAL IF WE ARE TO BRING IN THE
HUEY FONG. WE NEED IT BOTH TO CALM PUBLIC FEARS ABOUT THE EFFECT
OF BEING FORCED TO BACK DOWN, AND AS A LEVER TO GET OFFERS FROM THE REST OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. INDEED, UNLESS OUR HANDS ARE FORCED, WE WILL DEFER A DECISION TO BRING IN THE HUEY
FONG UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT THE U.K WILL DO.
1
4. 1 VERY MUCH HOPE THAT THE CONCEPT OF ONE THIRD EACH FOR HONG
KONG, MALAYSIA AND THAILAND WILL BE RECONSIDERED. IT IS REASONABLE
THAT PEOPLE HERE SHOULD EXPECT HONG KONG TO TAKE PRIORITY IN
VIEW OF THE U.K'S SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE TERRITORY,
SEE ALSO RETRACT 32515 NOVEMBER, LAST SENTENCE.
CONFIDENTIAL
5. THE FIGURE
:
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