CONFIDENTIAL
WILL BE REGARDED AS A WEAKENING OF THE BRITISH CONNECTION. THEY HAVE RETAINED THIS VIEW FROM THE OUTSET
THEY REGARD THIS AS A MAJOR ISSUE IN WHICH THEY FEEL HONG KONG'S POSITION WITH SUCH A LARGE PROPORTION OF CUKCS HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN SUFFICIENT WEIGHT.
5. AS THE GOVERNOR OF GIBRALTAR HAS SAID IN HIS TELNO PERSONAL 2 OF THE 9 JANUARY, IT IS THE TERRITORIES THEMSELVES WHICH WILL HAVE
TO LIVE WITH THE POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF ANY NEW DEFINITION AND, AS IN GIBRALTAR, THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES DO FEEL VERY STRONGLY ON HOW THEIR INDIVIDUAL STATUS IS DESCRIBED. I VERY MUCH HOPE THEREFORE
THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO PERSUADE THE HOME OFFICE TO REMOVE THEIR OBJECTIONS TO CUKC WHICH, SEEN FROM HERE, DO NOT SEEM VERY STRONG REASONS AT LEAST FOR THOSE IN THE DEPENDENCIES. IF MINISTERS
DECIDE SOME CHANGE IS ESSENTIAL THEN I HOPE 'BRITISH SUBJECT: HONG KONG CITIZEN'' CAN BE ACCEPTED.
6. UNOFFICIALS ALSO ENQUIRED WHETHER THERE WOULD BE ANY CONSULTATION EITHER WITH THEM OR WITH ME ON THE TERMS OF THE DRAFT WHITE PAPER. OSWALD CHEUNG RAISED THIS IN CONVERSATION WITH CORTAZZI RECENTLY. IN PARA 3 OF MCLAREN'S (HKAND GD) LETTER OF 22 NOVEMBER 1978 TO DAVIES THERE WAS REFERENCE TO THE WHITE PAPER REAFFIRMING HMG'S COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG. I HOPE THAT IF IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO CONSULT UNOFFICIALS CONFIDENTIALLY THEN I AT LEAST SHALL HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE WORDING OF THE DRAFT PAPER.
7. YOU MAY WISH TO ASK H M AMBASSADOR PEKING (AT PRESENT ATTENDING
THE HEADS OF MISSION MEETING IN BANGKOK) IF HE HAS ANY FURTHER COMMENTS.
CATER
TIES
CORY COMES TO:
FILES HID
L.
MR. FIGG
MR MURRAY
NATI
38
Ma√1
LEGAL ADVISERS
MISS BROOKES, LEGAL ADVISERS, HONG KONG, GOV: OFFICE,
2. CONFIDENTIAL
LONDON.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.