Mr Clift, HICED.
PS/Mr Blaker
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CALL BY THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG : 6 NOVEMBER 1980
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My minute of 30 October attached briefs for this call.
$12.11. Awili
The Secretary of State saw Sir Murray on 5 November. main points were:
The
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a) New Territories Leases and Future of Hong Kong.
The Secretary of State agreed that our short-term tactics should be those suggested by the Governor, ie we would not make any approach to the Chinese before the Secretary of State's visit to China apart from selective use of commercial and other intermediaries to explain the nature of the problem over land leases. It was also agreed that work should go ahead on a paper on options for the long-term future. (The Governor is keen on this project. It would be handled on a need to know basis. In Hong Kong only the Governor, Chief Secretary and Political Adviser would be involved).
b) Immigration. No problems so far over the new rules.
The latest figures are in Hong Kong Telegram No 1459 attached.
c) Nationality White Paper. The Governor stressed the
problem of the worries of locally-engaged administrative officers. He sees no answer to the problem of reassuring them (apart from a satisfactory new agreement with China on the future of Hong Kong). However, he put down a marker with the Secretary of State that the issue could become more acute.
d) Overseas Students' Fees. The Secretary of State said
that he would press the case for the Dependent Territories with his Cabinet colleagues. But he was not optimistic. New money to give Dependent Territories' students 'home' status is must unlikely. It is even improbable that HMG would be able to contribute to a shared schemed (cost to HMG about £750,000). The Governor needs a decision. This should come in December. He obviously would much prefer a UK contribution but accepts that Hong Kong may have to make provision for its students on its own.
e) Vietnamese Refugees. The Secretary of State undertook to speak to Mr Whitelaw before the Governor sees the latter at 4.00 pm on 6 November. He is not optimistic over the chances of a further quota but takes the Governor's point about the problems if UK action comes to and end.
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