185
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD38011
pa jolt
Mr Morris
ীम
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
02 MAY 1990
DESK OFFICER
REGISTRY
From: NSE Berg, PSAfD Action Taken
Date: 4 April 1990
Copies: Private Secretary
Mr Lidington
Mr Paul,
HKD
4
AS/MN Waldegrave
Mr Fairweather
HONG KONG : APPROACH TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT.
Α
BC
1. I understand that Mr Maude is still attracted to the
idea of including South Africa on the list of countries to
be approached with a request for them to take special
measures to allow entry from Hong Kong. Mr Waldegrave has not seen the background papers and will wish to do so.
2.
The position is summarised in Mr Paul's submission of
30 March which recommended that South Africa be dropped.
Hong Kong and our Embassy at Cape Town were both consulted
about the proposal and have recommended firmly against.
The political risks have been highlighted. If such an approach became known, as is quite likely, others on our
list of potential recipients of Hong Kong citizens might
react adversely. Furthermore, we can have no idea of
whether the government of (what may well then be) a post-apartheid South Africa will honour this kind of
commitment. There could also easily be domestic criticism.
The anti-apartheid lobby will perceive this move as contrary to the interests of the black community.
V06ADG/1
CONFIDENTIAL