TNAG-0753-FCO40-957-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 105

final paragraphe

with soitative (though that is not to say that they

and his are nonsense - they are not), and bordes on the presumptuous.

2.

Having said that, I agree with him that it would be useful to start the paper with sections setting out British and (assumed) Chinese interests and, I suggest, a third section on Hong Kong interests But these will need to probe

probe more deeply than suggested by N Commish. I believe in fact that here is no intrinsic British interest in our being : tong Kong (if it did not exist, would we now red to invent it in order to achieve cony of or essential foreign policy objectives: I think noly). In interests therefore are

ss

(i) since we are there, to derive such

benefits

i

ou

as we can from the situation

(civil aviation,

any

THIS IS A

THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RETAINED IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER SECTION 8(4) OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1968

(ii) at the same time, to minimise

drawbacks (for example by ension that the place doesn't cost the Birtis taxpayer. anything, and that we can adequately defend our being there in the UNete) (iii) most important, to ensure that if any change takes place, it does so with disadvantage to us either economically (loss of export Market, loss of British investments and other property, pensions liability), socially. (refugees clamowing, to enter Britain) or politically (Anglo. Chinese relations; world wide repercussions

of ou

(the least)

2

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