Page
GR 330
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 011388Z
FM PEKING 010610Z APRIL 81
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 236 OF 1 APRIL
02612
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 026/2
RECEIVED AN REGISTRY NO. 51
DE INDEX-
ملك
09 APR 1991
OFFICER
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
Antel
sée
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG (FOR GOVERNOR)
FROM PRIVATE SECRETARY FOR PS/LPS AND RICHARDS
(63
FCO TELNO 326: SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG
1. UNLESS THE GOVERNOR HAS ANYTHING TO ADD, WE THINK THAT ALL
RELEVANT POINTS HAVE BEEN COVERED IN THE REPORTING TELEGRAMS
NOW SENT TO YOU FROM HONG KONG, INCLUDING THE TRANSCRIPT OF
LORD CARRINGTON'S PRESS CONFERENCE ON 31 MARCH.
2. AS YOU WILL SEE, THE MOST IMPORTANT AND DIFFICULT ISSUE
CONCERNED THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. IN PUBLIC LORD CARRINGTON USED A CAREFUL FORMULATION (SEE HONG KONG TELNO 361) WHICH
SEEMS TO HAVE GONE DOWN REASONABLY WELL. AS EXPECTED, THE LOCAL
PRESS AND THE LEADERS OF THE CHINESE AND BUSINESS COMMUNITIES IN
HONG KONG SHOWED THEMSELVES TO BE ACUTELY INTERESTED IN THE LIKELY
RELEVANCE OF LORD CARRINGTON'S DISCUSSIONS IN PEKING TO THIS SUBJECT (THOUGH WIDELY DIFFERING VIEWS WERE EXPRESSED ON TACTICS).
3. THE REPEATED PLEAS OF THE HONG KONG CHINESE FOR FURTHER
AMENDMENTS TO THE NATIONALITY BILL, AND THEIR ADVICE ON THE
NEXT GOVERNOR, RELATED DIRECTLY TO THEIR CONCERN THAT IN THE
CRITICAL FIVE OR SO YEARS AHEAD THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SHOULD
MAINTAIN CONTINUITY IN ITS SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG AND SHOULD
NOT UNDERMINE BUSINESS CONFIDENCE BY TAKING ANY STEPS WHICH
MIGHT APPEAR TO DISTANCE HONG KONG FROM THE UK.
4. GREATER EMPHASIS WAS GIVEN TO THE ABOVE SUBJECTS THAN TO STUDENT FEES AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. THE ACTION TAKEN BY THE
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS REMOVED SOME OF THE HEAT FROM THESE ISSUES. ON THE VIET-NAMESE REFUGEES, THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS PROMISED TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO HIS COLLEAGUES ON RETURN: HE THINKS IT WOULD BE PRUDENT NOT TO PRE-EMPT THEM TOMORROW.
CRADOCK
LIMITED
HK&GD
FED
PS
PS/LPS
PS/MR BLAKER
PS/PUS
MR DONALD
CONFIDENTIAL
66