(188)
Mr Donald
CONFIDENTIAL
HKCK 34011
RECEIVED 'N GEWRY NO.
3 0 MAR 1981
DECK O
INDEX
الشكر
лю
*15.54
187)
HONG KONG: LIKELY ATTITUDE TO CONTINUATION OF THE THOMSON FORMULA FOR GIBRALTAR
1.
You wished to be able to give Mr Luce a view on how Hong Kong might react to the continuation in some form or other of the administrative concession allowing Gibraltarians free access to the UK.
2.
I attach a minute by Mr Jones which describes the present position and his suggestion for a possible consolidation of the concession on the grounds of our obligations to the Community. Without consultation with Hong Kong, which I do not recommend at present, it is difficult to judge exactly how Hong Kong might react. I believe, however, that if there were no attempt to consolidate the position on the lines suggested by Mr Jones, the risk of at any rate some Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils seizing on the 'special treatment' for Gibraltar in order to argue for further concessions for Hong Kong would be high. They might well point to the fact that the special conditions of the closure of the border had now ended and that therefore Gibraltar should not get more favourable treatment than other Dependent Territories.
3.
If Mr Jones's proposal were used, I think the chances of justifying to Hong Kong the continuation of the administrative arrangement would be much greater. We would after all be arguing that for a large number of the people involved our obligations to the Community for free movement of workers made it impracticable to terminate the arrangement; thus conditions pecular to Gibraltar would still apply.
4.
If, however, there is strong pressure for continuation
of the arrangement, with or without the proposal made by
Mr Jones, we should consult Hong Kong before a decision is taken.
26 March 1981
Дир Erip
R D Clift
Hong Kong and General Department
сс
Mr Jones, NTD
Mr Martin, SED
Mr Adams Mr Fergusson
CONFIDENTIAL
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