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00 HONG KONG DESKBY 0801002
GRS 255
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 080100Z
FM FCO 071045Z JAN 82
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 007 OF 7 JANUARY
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING (FOR DONALD)
FOR GOVERNOR FROM CLIFT
FROM
YOUR TELNO 9 OF 5 JANUARY
No
190
"1/1
1. POSITION ON MACAO IS STILL AS STATED IN OUR TELNO 374 OF 13
APRIL. SUGGEST, IF ASKED, LPS TAKE SIMILAR LINE TO SECRETARY OF
STATE'S IN APRIL THAT 'THERE IS NO SIGN THAT THE PORTUGUESE WILL
ASK FOR SPECIAL STATUS FOR MACAO VIS-A-VIS THE EC. IF THEY DO WE
WILL WORK TO ENSURE THAT MACAO IS TREATED SIMILARLY TO HONG KONG'
AND, IF PRESSED, 'WE FULLY TAKE POINT THAT ANY ADVANTAGE FOR MACAO
WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE'.
2. ON STUDENTS' FEES, HKGO CONFIRM YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF POSITION.
HONG KONG PREFERRED STUDENT LOAN SCHEME TO CHANNEL ISLANDS SCHEME
TENTATIVELY SUGGESTED BY US BECAUSE:
A) CHANNEL ISLANDS PER CAPITA SYSTEM WOULD ENTAIL OPEN-ENDED
COMMITMENT, MEANS-TESTING DIFFICULTIES AND PRESENTATIONAL PROBLEMS
OF DIRECT PAYMENT TO DES.
B)
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WERE UNDER PRESSURE TO INTRODUCE THE
SCHEME BY START OF SUMMER TERM 1981.
4. LUMP SUM PROPOSAL WAS NOT FAVOURED BY US BECAUSE IT WOULD BE
HARD TO JUSTIFY A SCHEME WHICH DID NOT TAKE NUMBERS AND CIRCUM-
STANCES OF INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS INTO ACCOUNT.
5.
SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, SUGGEST FOLLOWING DEFENSIVE LINE FOR
LPS: 1 OFFER OF PAYMENT IN RETURN FOR HOME STUDENT STATUS WAS NOT
PURSUED SINCE IT WAS SUPERSEDED BY PRESENT LOAN SCHEME. (IF PRESSED): THE OFFER WAS MUCH APPRECIATED BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO ADMINISTER A LUMP SUM PAYMENT THROUGH THE BRITISH GRANTS SYSTEM.'
CARRINGTON
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
LIMITED
HKAND GD
ECD(E)
FED
PS/LPS
X
COPIES TO:
HK GOVT OFFICE LONDON
CONFIDENTIAL