RESTRICTED
2
File
Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1A 2AH
Telephone 01-
HICK cuoll
cuolli
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO.
12 JAN1981
DESK OFFICER
D Akers-Jones Esq CMG
Secretary for the New Territories
Housing Authority IIQ Building 101 Princess Margaret Road Kowloon
HONG KONG
INDEX
PA
Action 1
Your reference Ло
J15.
AN
Our reverenco
Date
2 January 1981
Dear David,
LETTER FROM MR CHAN YAT-SAN MBE
1.
159AA
Naccud
1980
When we met the Heung Yee Kuk in November, Mr Chan handed me a letter and we agreed that I would consider what form my reply should take.
2.
On reflection I think it would be better for me to ask you to reply orally on my behalf and I should be most grateful if you would do so.
3.
Chan raised four main issues:
British Nationality
Law, Overseas Students' Fees, a Deputy Governor for the New Territories and ownership of villagers land after 1997.
4.
On Nationality Law, Mr Chan can be assured that the White Paper is not intended to lower the status of citizens of British Dependent Territories. The proposals do not contain any changes in the status of these people nor are they designed to do so. They are most certainly not intended to be in preparation for shedding HMG's responsibility to these people and in the White Paper Her Majesty's Government have specifically restated their obligations to the Dependent Territories.
5.
With regard to students' fees, the decision to charge overseas students was not taken as a matter of foreign policy but for financial reasons. We and the Hong Kong Government are looking at ways of easing the problem, but it would be wrong if I were to give the impression that it is going to be easy to find a satisfactory answer soon.
6.
Mr Chan's suggestion that there should be a Deputy Governor responsible for the New Territories is one for the Hong Kong Government and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on it.
7.
Finally, I am unable to comment on Mr Chan's suggestion about private land in the New Territories after 1997 since it deals with a hypothetical situation.
Happy New Year":
Yours Diel
R D Clift
Hong Kong and General Department
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.