RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 06110OZ FCO

TELNO 53

OF 060815Z JANUARY 89

3087

RESTRICTED

HKB 026/1

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of 7

10

137354

MDHIAN 7529

FOR PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

MY TELNO 4633: LORD GLENARTHUR'S VISIT TO HONG KONG

OMELCO DECIDED TODAY THAT THEY WOULD RAISE THE FOLLOWING ISSUES IN

THEIR MEETING WITH LORD GLENARTHUR ON 10 JANUARY:-

(A) THE BASIC LAW: A GENERAL POINT ABOUT HOPE THAT HMG WOULD BE

CAREFUL TO ENSURE THAT IT FULLY REFLECTS THE JOINT DECLARATION. ANDREW WONG TO LEAD.

(B) THE PROVISION OF BRITISH NATIONALITY FOR WIVES AND WIDOWS OF WAR

VETERANS: INCLUDING A REFERENCE TO LORD GLENARTHUR'S STATEMENT IN

THE LORDS ON 23 APRIL 1986 AND QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER PEOPLE

ADMITTED FOR SETTLEMENT IN THE UK HAVE DIFFERENT RIGHTS OF ACCESS TO WELFARE BENEFITS FROM BRITISH CITIZENS. JOHN SWAINE TO LEAD.

(C) VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: PRESSURE FOR AN INCREASE IN THE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED UK QUOTA AND THE REMOVAL OF CONDITIONS, PLUS AN ASSURANCE THAT HMG WILL DO EVERYTING IT CAN TO HELP HONG KONG CLEAR THE BACKLOG

OF VRS IN CAMPS HERE DURING THE NEXT 3 YEARS. RITA FAN TO LEAD.

(D) ECONOMIC RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UK, HK AND THE PRC PLUS 1992: AN ASSURANCE THAT THE UK WILL LOOK AFTER HONG KONG'S INTERESTS IF THE

EC BECOMES PROTECTIONIST. MARTIN BARROW TO LEAD

(E) ENTRY INTO THE UK: THANKS TO LORD GLENARTHUR FOR HIS EFFORTS. NO MORE CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO OMELCO. REQUEST FOR STATISTICS OF

RECENT REFUSALS.

2. MOST ALTERATIONS, AND HEAT, IS LIKELY TO FOCUS ON (C) WITH (B) RUNNING SECOND.

3. THE DISCUSSION IS LIKELY TO BE LESS STRUCTURED, AND TO TAKE THE FORM OF A GENERAL DISCUSSION OF THE PRESENT MOOD IN HONG KONG AND THE CURRENT LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE ISN THE FUTURE. BUT DEFENCE LAND MAY ALSO COME UP.

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