TNAG-1171-FCO40-1452-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 64

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DWFTE 050/24

PEK NG TL 789

TO HKGD, FCO

HONG KONG

GR 600

SECRET AND PERSONAL

TELELETTER

вид реж

04011

2 5 MAY 1962

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W

Сто

(ore 1321

I will submit mit the folic at 264 to Mr Burrows

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совесть

2575

Juptedenfo

3/6

FROM

FILE: 020/393/1

SIR P CRADOCK, PEKING

22 MAY 1982

FOLLOWING FOR

RD CLIFT, HKGD, FCO

COPIED TO

(PERSONAL) R MCLAREN, PA, HONG KONG

HONG

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

238

1. PLEASE REFER TO YOUR LETTER HKK 040/1 OF 30 APRIL TO ROBIN

MCLAREN, COVERING A PAPER ON THE LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR HONG KONG. I HAVE NOW SEEN ROBIN MCLAREN'S COMMENTS, WITH WHICH I AGREE.

(204

2. MY MAIN CRITICISM OF ANNEX A IS THAT IT IS NOW SERIOUSLY OUT OF DATE. DETAILED COMMENTS OF THE VARIOUS OPTIONS ARE BELOW, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE PAPER WOULD BE MUCH MORE USEFUL IF WE CONSID- ERED OTHER POSSIBLE OUTCOMES OF NEGOTIATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. THERE IS THE OPTION MENTIONED BY ROBIN MCLAREN, OF THE NINE POINT PROPOSAL FOR TAIWAN ADAPTED TO INCLUDE CONTINUING BRITISH ADMINISTRATION. I WOULD ADD TO THIS A FURTHER UNWELCOME OPTION, WHICH IS THE NINE POINT PROPOSAL FOR TAIWAN WITHOUT CONTINUING BRITISH ADMINISTRATION. I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT THIS SCENARIO, BOTH BECAUSE WE MIGHT BE FORCED ONE DAY TO CONSIDER IT IF THE CONTINUATION OF BRITISH ADMINISTRATION IN ANY FORM PROVES TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE TO THE CHINESE, BUT ALSO BECAUSE WE SHALL NEED TO KNOW CLEARLY ITS CONSEQUENCES IN ORDER TO ARGUE AGAINST IT IN THE COURSE OF NEGOTIATIONS.

3. WE AGREE WITH ROBIN MCLAREN THAT THE FOREIGN JURISDICTION ACT LOOKS PROMOSING AS A PIECE OF ENABLING LEGISLATION. I DO NOT THINK THAT THE CHINESE WILL WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT OUR DOMESTIC LEGISLATIVE DETAILS, SO LONG AS THEY ARE COMPATIBLE WITH WHATEVER AGREEMENT IS REACHED.