TNAG-1080-FCO40-1330-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 202

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5.

iv) Any suggestions for a reply to the Administrative Officers.

In my view the very most that could be done would be for the Governor to have a private conversation with Mr Ho, assuring him that the problem was fully appreciated by HMG, underlining the delicate question of maintaining confidence in Hong Kong and stressing that any future government would have to take the position of government servants fully into account but that at present the problem was hypothetical.

v) A comment on how to handle the matter during Lord Carrington's

visit. I agree that he should not have an interview with the Administrative Officers.

We may have to submit the reply to Ministers before despatch depending on how substantive a reply we propose to the Administrative Officers.

13 January 1981

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R D Clift

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