TNAG-0942-FCO40-1161-Visit-by-Lord-Carrington--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-1980 — Page 51

CODE 18-77

SS 8/78

also at HK

of rok 200/1

BA

CONFIDENTIAL

GE

Reference

J 23.9 msph

Mr Williamson, HKGD

HKK026/17

RECEIVED DE RYWY NO.

24 SEP 1980

52

OVERSEAS STUDENTS FEES: SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT HONG KONG

1.

u

I suggest that the penultimate, sentence in a 3 of the Points to Make should read: 'May be too late to find final solution for

this academic year'. The second sentence ir para of the Essential Facts should also be similarly amended to read: 'However, the Secretary of State's view is that in practice it may be too late to get agreement for the new money required for 1980/81, ie £4.5 million.

2. I have discussed the way forward with Mr Blaker who agrees that the Secretary of State's minute can be interpreted in this way. We should not go into battle conceding that the case for 1980/81 is already lost, but should accept that we may have to concede this in the course of interdepartmental discussion. There is also the point that to go for a concession in 1980/81 only would be politically unacceptable and I have revised the draft telegram to bring this out.

23 September 1980

CONFIDENTIAL

سل

JEC Macrae

Cultural Relations Department