TNAG-1205-FCO40-1507-Policy-on-visas-and-entry-certificates-in-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 41

RESTRICTED

3

-

―

expelled because she was a lesbian or because she had upset the Chinese Government, but she had in fact committed no crime. The state of affairs in Hong Kong was most unsatisfactory; there was no democracy, the Governor was appointed by Her Majesty The Queen and the Government by the Governor. In addition it was big business there that made the important decisions.

7.

Mr Flannery said that if it had been a UK citizen who had been treated in this way no doubt many more people would have shown an interest in the case. He asked whether her behaviour had been so bad that it could not be made public. If espionage had been involved they would still want to know more about it and he could not believe that it could involve her personal character. He could not allow the continued slight on her to continue. Lord Belstead said that the Hong Kong Government had not smeared Ms Vertucci's character since they had carefully given no reasons for their decisions.

8.

Mr McTaggart said no doubt the Standing Committee on Pressure Groups in Hong Kong (SCOPG) were behind the decision. He knew that they had opened a file on Ms Vertucci. This was a fascist way of ensuring that opponents of the Government would not be heard. Mr Parry

said that he had had a copy of the SCOPG Report and that he, Mr Dennis Canavan and Ms Vertucci were mentioned in it. Mr Flannery said that the SCOPG Report mentioned Ms Vertucci's involvement with the Yau Ma Tei boat squatters. It was incredible that the Hong Kong Government should have a secret committee to monitor the activities of pressure groups and MPs.

9.

Lord Belstead repeated that he could not and would not give the reasons for the Hong Kong Government's decision since the Hong Kong Government did not do so. He could however assure the MPs that the appeal to the Secretary of State had been looked at very carefully.

10.

In closing, Mr Flannery said that the case had far more important implications. Hong Kong was clearly an anti-democratic cesspool. He would inform the Labour Party, particularly its leaders, that the MPs had been refused answers by the Minister of State. There was nothing further to say other than thank him and that the MPs were totally dissatisfied with the meeting. The meeting finished at 10.35 a.m.

Distribution:

PS

PS/Lord Belstead

PS/Mr Rifkind

HKGD

News Dept

MVD

Mr Giffard

Mr Donald

Deputy Governor, Hong Kong

Sir J Cater KBE, Hong Kong Commissioner, London

RESTRICTED