CTWAKB (4)
CONFIDENTIAL
US Support for Hong Kong
3.
Since the events of 3/4 June we have been doing everything
possible to rally international support for Hong Kong as part of our
efforts to restore confidence in the territory. Sir G Howe sent two messages to Mr Baker before the Paris Economic Summit, stressing the need for the international community to help boost confidence in
Hong Kong and flagging up the question of international support if
things were to go disastrously wrong in the future. He did not
receive a written response to either of these messages. At the
Paris Summit, the Americans, like other partners, were reluctant to
make concrete commitments on immigration but did accept an
encouraging reference to Hong Kong in the declaration on China,
acknowledging that the continuing support of the international
community is essential to maintaining confidence in Hong Kong.
the Secretary of State met Mr Baker on 30 July, discussion focussed
on Vietnamese boat people rather than wider Hong Kong issues.
When
4. We cannot reasonably expect the United States (or anyone else)
to come up with absolute commitments so far in advance of any possible exodus. Partners are also likely to want to see the shape
of our nationality package before deciding whether they can help
more concretely. Nevertheless it would be helpful to float with the Administration the idea recently put forward by Congressman Solarz in an interview given in Hong Kong that the United States, Canada,
Australia and other countries might consider taking measures similar to our own proposed nationality package ie offering guarantees of right of abode which would not require people to leave Hong Kong.
5. In the same interview, Congressman Solarz also sought to establish a link between Hong Kong's handling of the Vietnamese boat
people problem and the international community's willingness to provide resettlement opportunities for Hong Kong people in the
future.
Representative Government
The Americans find it difficult to understand why we do not introduce 100% direct elections immediately. In any discussion of
6.
CONFIDENTIAL