TNAG-0374-FCO40-420-Discussions-with-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 13

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Sir Murray MacLehose

30

HE./3}wk}.....

FURTHER ACTION

At the meeting with Mr Royle this morning you agreed to take the following further action:-

1.

2.

(a) To send a telegram to Hong Kong asking for their reaction to the Unilateral Declaration on Sterling, which is being telegraphed to them today.

(b)

(c)

To send a telegram to Hong Kong to say that there should be no question of publication of the second Blair-Kerr Report, or the preparation of an ExCo paper, before your return.

To send a telegram asking for action to be hastened on the suggestion that permits for returning Hong Kong Chinese to enter the New Territories restricted area should be obtainable in London.

You also asked whether, on the nationality question, we could make sure that the brief prepared for the Secretary of State included a reference to the Heung Yee Kuk's concern about an increase in the quota of people from Hong Kong allowed into the UK as residents; and also a reference to the desirability of seeking some further easing of visa restrictions.

3. You will presumably also wish us to arrange an appointment for you with Mrs Hedley-Miller at the Treasury.

4"

You said, off the record, that, if there was no satisfactory solution on the EEC/GSP, there might be pressure in Hong Kong to remove preferences for UK goods, and mentioned the bus franchise as an example. Mr Royle asked if you could let him have details of this.

11 September 1973

R B Crowson

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department