TNAG-0841-FCO40-1050-Visit-of-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-Chi-1979 — Page 35

3

H.E.:

I do not know. If you mean is there a need for me to go back

the answer is no.

:

Q. It will not be your last then?

A..

Q.

H.E.: I do not know.

1

On the illegal immigrants, aside from the disparity of income, the commitment to freedom of movement for legal immigrants, were there any other reasons given why the immigration has been so high over the past

few months?

A.

H.E.: No.

I think you were told something Dr. Wilson.

Dr. Wilson:

Q.

There is one point and that is the rumour market. Rumours about what is about to happen in Hong Kong. There have I think been some of those

rumours going about recently.

There was some suggestion put to us rather

informally that this was the reason for the rather large number of people moving recently. There were rumours going round that there would be greater restrictions on people coming here legally.

Is it possible that the Chinese authorities would welcome Hong Kong imposing more controls?

A. H.E.: I think that we have a mutual problem in this and that the best

way to solve it is by co-operation. There is no doubt of this.

This

we can only discover by discussion and this will start soon.

Q.

Sir, can you say what your brief statement of the British position was when the question of direct representation was raised?

A.

Aga Glazing no

H.E.: I thought I had already said that. I said one06] Cat This was raised

at This was raised something that would be mentioned. I was speaking entirely personally, which was that I thought the present arrangements were good and were working well and that I did not see any need for such formal representation at present. I do not know if I ha mentioned this ready, I said exactly what Anthony Crosland said in 1976.

/Q. And the..