CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
767
060530
MDHIAN 5060
HKD 02
OP COPY Q DIST?
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 11103OZ FCO
RECEIVED ar
TELNO 2211
OF 110931Z JULY 91
14 JUL 1991
INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE PEKING
бил
YRTELNO 1267: LORD CAITHNESS' VISIT TO HONG KONG: MEETING WITH EXCO AND OMELCO AND COMMUNITY LUNCH
1. I WILL SOUND OUT LADY DUNN EARLY NEXT WEEK ON WHAT SUBJECTS SHE THINKS ARE LIKELY TO BE RAISED WITH LORD CAITHNESS BY NON- OFFICIALS AT HIS MEETING WITH EXCO AND OMELCO. THE MAIN ONES ARE LIKELY TO BE:
(A) THE NEW AIRPORT. APPRECIATION THAT WE CAN NOW GET ON WITH THE PROJECT COUPLED WITH CARPING FROM THE LIBERAL WING ON LOSS OF AUTONOMY AND HONG KONG/LEGCO BEING CUT OUT OF THE NEGOTIATIONS. IT WILL BE HELPFUL IF THE DATE OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT HAS BY THEN BEEN ANNOUNCED.
(B) VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS. CONTINUING CONCERN. THE DEGREE OF THIS WILL DEPEND ON THE RATE OF ARRIVALS AND ON PERCEPTIONS OF PROGRESS IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE. SOME PRESSURE FROM LEGCO FOR THE UK TO SHARE A GREATER PART OF THE BURDEN.
(C) RELATIONS WITH CHINA UP TO 1997. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF, AT HIS MEETING WITH EXCO, LORD CAITHNESS COULD STRESS THE IMPORTANCE THAT HMG ATTACHES TO THE ADVICE OF EXCO AND ENCOURAGE MEMBERS TO CALL ON HIM WHENEVER THEY ARE IN LONDON.
2. IT IS A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT TO PREDICT WHAT SUBJECTS MAY BE RAISED DURING THE QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION DURING THE COMMUNITY LUNCH. MUCH WILL DEPEND ON WHAT IS ON PEOPLE'S MINDS DURING THE WEEK OF THE VISIT. BUT THE SUBJECTS LIKELY TO BE RAISED AT A FUNCTION THAT TOOK PLACE THIS WEEK WOULD INCLUDE:
(A) THE AIRPORT AGREEMENT, AND IN PARTICULAR ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE AUTONOMY OF HONG KONG.
(B) VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS, AND IN PARTICULAR THE FIRST ASYLUM POLICY.
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL
1