I
5
FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 1989
GOVERNOR:
FIONA
MCMAHON
(SCM POST):
GOVERNOR:
QUESTION:
GOVERNOR:
DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE HERE SIMPLY THROW THE TOWEL IN. THERE'S NO DOUBT AT ALL THAT PEOPLE HERE HAVE BEEN WORRIED BY WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS IN CHINA. AND IT'S NOT AT ALL SURPRISING THAT THAT'S THE CASE. BUT THIS IDEA OF PEOPLE SIMPLY THROWING IN THE TOWEL, I DON'T THINK THAT'S RIGHT. I DON'T THINK WE'RE A THROWING IN THE TOWEL TYPE OF COMMUNITY,
WHAT EFFECT DO YOU THINK IT WILL HAVE ON HONG KONG IF BRITAIN DOESN'T IN FACT RECONSIDER ANY OF ITS MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS US AND GIVE PASSPORTS? AND HOW DIVISIVE WOULD IT BE IF THATCHER ONLY IF HER FLEXIBILITY ONLY APPLIED
—
CIVIL SERVANTS AND TOP BUSINESSMEN?
US
MRS
TO
WELL, THAT'S A SERIES OF RATHER HYPOTHETICAL POINTS. WHAT WE ARE ARGUING FOR AT THE MOMENT IS SOMETHING WHICH GOES WIDER THAN THAT AND WE'RE CERTAINLY ARGUING FOR THE MAXIMUM OF GENEROSITY. I CAN'T ANSWER THE HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION OF: "WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF WE DON'T GET AS FAR AS WE'D LIKE TO GET?"
PROBLEM
DO YOU ACCEPT THAT BOTH THE VIETNAMESE
AND THE PROBLEM OF BRITISH NATIONALITY HAVE BECOME, IN A SENSE, PROBLEMS OF NUMBERS RATHER THAN PRINCIPLES AT THIS STAGE?
WHO
NO, I DON'T THINK THAT THEY SHOULD DO. I THINK THAT THEY ARE BOTH QUESTIONS OF PRINCIPLE, IF YOU LIKE. THE PRINCIPLE IN THE CASE OF BRITISH NATIONALITY BEING: WHAT SHOULD BE DONE; WHAT ASSURANCES GIVEN TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BRITISH PASSPORTS BUT ARE IN HONG KONG? THE QUESTION OF VIETNAMESE BEING: WHAT DO YOU DO WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT GENUINE REFUGEES; HAVE NO CONNECTION WITH THIS TERRITORY? DO YOU SIMPLY LEAVE THEM IN CAMPS FOR YEAR AFTER YEAR? OR
THE DO YOU DO, WHAT TO MY MIND IS
SENSIBLE, THE IS PRACTICAL, AND INDEED THE HUMANE THING, AND THAT MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THEM TO RETURN TO THEIR OWN COUNTRY? I THINK BOTH OF THOSE - I DON'T USE MYSELF VERY MUCH TO THIS IDEA OF PRINCIPLES. RIGID PRINCIPLES BOTH OF THOSE ARE THOUGH, A QUESTION PRINCIPLE AND OF PRACTICALITY,
-
OF
QUESTION:
DO YOU THINK THE PORT OF FIRST ASYLUM IS A QUESTION OF PRINCIPLE THAT WE MIGHT BE SHORTLY?
WILLING то
DITCH
/GOVERNOR: