TNAG-0378-FCO40-424-UK-policy-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-after-1997-1973 — Page 28

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3

MORE DETAILED COMMENTS ON INDIVIDUAL ASPECTS OF THE

PROPOSALS

STATUS OF GIBRALTAR

4. As has already been stated, the proposals as a

whole and the Spanish concept of the status of

Gibraltar would be unacceptable to Gibraltarian and

British Parliamentary opinion, not simply because the

proposals embody a transfer of sovereignty, but

because they also prescribe changes in other respects

which would be unwelcome, even were Gibraltarian

confidence in the various assurances and safeguards

forthcoming. Many of the specific changes in admin-

istration proposed, eg the appointment of a Spanish

Governor, might be an inevitable consequence of

Gibraltar's integration with Spain, following a

transfer of sovereignty, unless such a transfer could

be accomplished in an entirely different way. A

number of comments follow on the individual elements

of the Spanish proposals but clearly these elements

must ultimately stand or fall with the proposals as a

whole cand with the basic concept bohind Wrem-.

LEGAL POSITION

5.

The proposals would need to be spelled out in

much greater detail and to place greater emphasis on

the idea of a special regime for Gibraltar. There

would have to be absolute guarantees of the contin-

uation of such a regime, within which Gibraltarian

freedoms and institutions could continue to operate

as at present.

CONFIDMPPTAL

4.4

16.