Events in China:
[ 6 JUNE 1989 }
ve noted that President Bush has announced ergo on the sale of arms and we support the Government's decision to ban arms sales to China well as the other measures listed in the Statement. As the Foreign Secretary has said, we are all very Conscious of the implications of these events for Hong Kong and for the Sino-British joint can understand the natural declaration. We apprehensions of the people in Hong Kong about their future. I am sure that the Government are studying those implications very carefully indeed. We support the short-term measures which the Government propose in relation to the second draft Basic Law and the undertaking to conduct a thorough
programme for advancing democracy in Hong Kong. Can the noble Lord say who will be conducting that examination? Will it involve the Legislative Council as well as the Hong Kong Government and Her Majesty's Government?
examination and
We note what the Foreign Secretary says about extending the right of abode and the Government's intention to look at the scope for flexibility. That is a significant part of the Statement and we shall need to return to it in detail in due course.
Finally, we support the Government's message to China. We want to see a resolution of the current crisis there without further bloodshed and we hope that Her Majesty's Government will do everything in their power to facilitate that.
Lord Bonham-Carter: My Lords, I should like to associate myself with what the noble Lord, Lord Cledwyn, has said in response to the Statement repeated by the noble Lord and which was made by his right honourable and learned friend in the House of Commons. We on these Benches should also like to associate ourselves with all those who have condemned the savage killings which have taken place and the tragic state of affairs that we are witnessing.
I should like also to associate myself with what the noble Lord, Lord Cledwyn, said about the courage of British journalists and BBC and other television reporters and the admirable nature of the reports which we have received from them, at great risk to themselves.
As has been said, the situation in China is extremely difficult to read. I think that everyone would agree that it is most unwise to come quickly to conclusions which have to be qualified by the ignorance in which we find ourselves. However, it appears to be clear that there are divisions within the party, and there may be divisions within the army. Therefore all may not necesarily be lost and the sacrifices which have been made may not have been in vain. But it is obviously right for the Government, as the Statement indicates, to take into account the possibility that the situation may not improve. Therefore consideration has to be given to the measures which would have to be taken in those circumstances. I should like to associate myself with the measures which have already been taken and which are set forth in the Statement.
I suppose that we should be considering whether there is any possibility of devising means which
HL 24 G
Implications for Hong Kong
748
would preserve some of the position of Hong Kong in the future, if necessary by means of international safeguards, since it would be in the interests of China for that position to be maintained. I should like to agree with the noble Lord, Lord Cledwyn, on the need to introduce democratic elections within Hong Kong as soon as possible.
The most urgent question which arises is the need to give reassurances to the inhabitants of Hong Kong as to their future. While recognising the difficulty of opening the gates to all, once again perhaps I may suggest to the Government that this is a case in which the problem can only be dealt with by international action; namely, by gathering other states together to express a willingness to take in quotas of inhabitants of Hong Kong. We should take the lead by expanding and liberalising our attitude to those people, as some of us have been urging in this House these last few months.
I am most grateful to have had this Statement. As the noble Lord, Lord Cledwyn, said, we shall want to consider it in more detail when the situation becomes clearer.
4.30 p.m.
Lord Glenarthur: My Lords, perhaps I may first respond to the noble Lords. Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos and Lord Bonham-Carter, and thank them both for their comments in support of the Statement that I have repeated and, indeed, the steps contained within it. I am grateful for that support. Like the noble Lord, Lord Cledwyn, I believe that, at what amounts to a fairly early point in this tragic tale, it is difficult, and would be a mistake, to make judgments about what is likely to happen in the future or to try to predict a scene which changes more or less by the minute.
However, perhaps I may try to give some reassurance to the noble Lord, Lord Cledwyn, about assistance that is being provided. I realise that the House will be concerned for the safety of British citizens in China and of British students in China to whom the noble Lord particularly referred. The embassy has put great efforts into establishing contact with all British nationals and Hong Kong people in Peking. There have been no difficulties involving British citizens or Honk Kong people so far, apart from the manhandling by Chinese security personnel of British journalists to which I referred. I explained that our very firm advice is that all travel to China should be postponed until the situation becomes clearer.
So far as concerns evacuation, we have already advised British nationals and Hong Kong people in those areas where there has been trouble and who are concerned for their safety to take the opportunity to leave by commercial means. Arrangements have been made for special flights to evacuate British and Hong Kong people. We shall keep under review the need to charter further aircraft to help ease the pressure that exists on ordinary commercial flights.
So far as concerns students, a special British Airways flight is due to arrive in Peking at 2300 hours local time and leave at midnight local time, today, 6th June, for Hong Kong. A convoy with