TNAG-0580-FCO40-713-UK-policy-on-status-of-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 57

C

CONFIDENTIAL

5.

DSR 11C

quired in Paragraph

above.

I would

be collec

to decline

i

6. It is not therefore posible to provide a clear-cut

public statement of HMG's position on the status of Hong Kong that could be sent to Mr Hooley. He might be supplied with, for example, an extract from the Report of the Select Committee on Expenditure However, he would be fully entitled to say that this does not, in terms state that HMG exercises sovereignty over Hong Kong (which, as I said in my submission of 15 November, is,I think the point that Mr Hooley is seeking to establish).

the terms in which of the uncertainty whiet we have had abot your having sovereignty over Hong Kong and the delicacy of the whole matter vis-vis the Chinese, I think it would be better not to seek to add, in writing, to what has already been. said to Mr Hooley in answer to his Question. I would therefore recommend against a letter being sent but would see no objection to Mr Luard's having a word in confidence with Mr Hooley about the matter.

In view

QKalcim

CONFIDENTIAL*