TNAG-1040-FCO40-1290-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 110

The Rushford

r gulds

mess is that ]}(c) would

cc Mr Friar, HKGD

Mr Freeland

Lave much the best chance of getting past the Chinese. But the point is, if

for paliny Jindgment.

Mr Williamson, HKGD

Comode,

Set.

Sir I Sinclair (o.r.)

Mi. Rush jara

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

I tend to a youn Iar the solution in

with M.. Freeland

Para

less.offers.com to His Chinese. Then ite

H-

7) would be

14. Par wis star the 1878 0.1 in linkin with the Convention: You

wowers' her to

<this

it

Solution

clowny I have recently been giving some further thought to the

"Because

* difficulties created by the fact that the New Territories were w

granted on lease is reflected in the 1898 Order, which does not about it,

at present provide a sufficient basis in municipal law for

British administration of the New Territories after 30 June

1997.

simply mand Ateli

pagar, whe

fire? Sively.

12

apportar the

f... "anneyin

The Mead

2. There seems to be little likelihood at present that the

Chinese Government would be willing to enter into an agreement

with the UK under which the UK would be authorized to administer

the New Territories after 30 June 1997.

3. If this situation continues (as well it may) then grave

uncertainties about the continuance of UK administration after

30 June 1997 are bound to develop as that date approaches, with serious political and economic consequences for Hong Kong

and the UK.

2

4. As I see it, therefore, HMG may well have to contemplate

taking unilateral action to alter the situation in the hope

that such action will receive the tacit acquiescence of the

Chinese and not provoke them into retaliation.

5.

On the UK side it seems to be axiomatic that the territory

of Hong Kong can be satisfactorily administered only as a whole -

in other words, if the New Territories were surrendered, the

rest of the colony would be untenable.

say

I meant to

"created by

reason

SECRET

of the fact"

/

76.

مادر

10/1