CONFIDENTIAL
23247
1
OUR TELNO 139, WHEN REPLYING TO MISS DUNN.
4.
WE CANNOT THEREFORE AGREE TO THE LINE GIVEN IN YOUR TELNO 801. WE WOULD SUGGEST REPLYING ALONG THE FOLLOWING LINES:
'I WILL CERTAINLY CONVEY LEGCO'S VIEWS TO HMG.
I AM SURE THAT HMG RECOGNISE THE STRENGTH OF FEELING ON
THIS ISSUE IN HONG KONG, AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT HMG ARE GIVING THE MATTER PRIORITY. THESE QUESTIONS ARE HOWEVER COMPLEX, AND IT IS RIGHT THAT THEY SHOULD RECEIVE FULL AND CAREFUL CONSIDERATION. I KNOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT HOPE TO REACH DECISIONS SHORTLY, BUT I CANNOT SAY AT THIS STAGE WHETHER THIS WILL BE BEFORE EASTER.
HMG'S POLICY HAS BEEN TO GIVE A FULL OPPORTUNITY FOR HONG
KONG PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS. THE PASSAGE OF THE ORDER IN
PARLIAMENT WILL PROVIDE A FURTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE CONCERNED TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE MATTER.'
HOWE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/NTD
RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)
DEP HD/PUSD
PS
PS/R RENTON
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING
MR WILSON
MR BARRINGTON
COPIES TO:
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR GRAINGER, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR D MCDOUGALL, MVD
MR HYDE, HOME OFFICE
MR EMERY, B4 DIV, HOME OFFICE, CROYDON
MR NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE.
ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.
MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE
MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
CONFIDENTIAL