TNAG-1239-FCO40-1552-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 183

Mr Donald

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OF ANY

THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG : ''ACCEPTABILITY

PROPOSALS TO THE LOCAL INHABITANTS

1.

Mr Luce was most grateful to you for going through

with him this afternoon the whole question of the future

of Hong Kong, and what Ministers have agreed we should say See 187 publicly about it. However, with the experience of the Falkland Islands very much in mind, he is anxious to ensure that we get the public presentation of our policy absolutely right. He accepts that the parallel with the Falkland Islands is not exact, and that we have obligations to the people of Hong Kong which we must honour. But he is also very concerned that the phrase that any solution must be

acceptable to the people of Hong Kong'' which he under- stands has already been used publicly on a number of occasions, offers a hostage to fortune, which could certain circumstances put the Government in a very difficult situation in defending its line in Parliament.

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2. There are two areas of difficulty here. First of all, it gives the local inhabitants a power of veto (which could then be used in a way that would run counter to British interests). Second, it begs the question of how acceptability would in practice be measured. Would Parliament, for instance, agree that endorsement by EXCO fairly represented the wishes of the people of Hong Kong?

3. In view of these doubts, Mr Luce would be most grateful- if you could prepare a paper for him setting out the practical implications of this phrase and suggesting a line that Ministers might take if they were pressed on this question in Parliament.

H. Warren. Gash

16 June 1983

Cc:

Private Secretary

PS/PUS

Mr Giffard

Mr Clift, HKD

HB Warren-Gash PS/Mr Luce

Miss Neville-Jones, Planning Staff

FED

P.S. Mr Luce has now seen the

record of the discussion on Hong Kong at No 10 yesterday,

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