TNAG-1024-FCO40-1274-Visit-by-Lord-Carrington--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-1981 — Page 49

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ANNEX C

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 252147Z FEB 81

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 194 OF 25 FEBRUARY

FROM GOVERNOR FOR CLIFT.

SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT: MEETINGS ON THE MORNING OF TUESDAY

31 MARCH I PROPOSE A TWO PART MEETING WITH OFFICIALS, THE FIRST ON BILATERIAL ISSUES AND THE SECOND ON HK/CHINA ISSUES.

2. TO ASSIST YOU IN BRIEFING SECRETARY OF STATE, I SUGGEST THE

FOLLOWING AGENDA:

(A) BILATERAL ISSUES

(1) INTRODUCTION.

A VERY SHORT BRIEF FOR S FOR S CN THE HK ECONOMY AND THE PROGRESS OF DEVELOPMENT.

(11) NATIONALITY BILL

THIS WILL DEPEND LARGELY ON HOW THINGS PROGRESS IN THE COMMITTEE STAGE OF THE BILL. HOWEVER, I SHOULD LIKE TO USE THE MEETING TO DISCUSS TACTICS, THE DEGREE OF LOCAL UNEASE AND POSSIBLY MEASURES FOR ALLEVIATING THE GENERAL FEELINGS OF DISTANCING THAT THIS AND OTHER EVENTS HAVE PRODUCED.

(111) REFUGEES

I HAVE TELEGRAPHED SEPARATELY ON THIS PROBLEM AND CUR HOPE THAT UK WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE THE SORT OF GESTURE WHICH WOULD PREVENT THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA FROM EITHER CUTTING OR SLOWING DOWN THERI OWN PROGRAMMES.

(IV) UNIVERSITY FEES.

I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER OUR OWN PROPOSALS FOR PRESERVING EDUCATIONAL

AND CULTURAL LINKS WITH THE UK AND PERHAPS LOOK AHEAD TO AN EVENTUAL CHANGE IN HMG'S POSITION.

(V) TEXTILES,

A VERY BRIEF MARKER ON THE M F A AND THE POTENTIAL FOR ILL-FEELING

HERE.

(IV) DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION

I WOULD LIKE BRIEFLY TO DISCUSS PROGRESS SO FAR AND EXPLAIN HOW WE SEE THE SCHEME DEVELOPING

(B) HK/CHINA ISSUES

THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING WOULD BE TO ALLOW SECRETARY OF STATE TO GO OVER WITH US HIS CHINA BRIEFS SO FAR AS THEY AFFECT HK.

IN ADDITION I PROPOSE WE DISCUSS BRIEFLY:

(1) GENERAL HK/CHINA RELATIONS:

GENERAL ACCOUNT OF THE WAY OUR RELATIONS WITH CHINA HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS INCLUDING PARTICULARLY CONTACTS WITH GUANGDONG AND THE NEW ECONOMIC ZONES.

[(11)

CONT

NTIAL

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