TNAG-1262-FCO40-1602-MPs--letters-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 58

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PP HONG KONG

GRS 444

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FM FCO 091200Z NOV 83

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 170 OF 9 NOVEMBER

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

HK Korelis

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

TO NOV 1983

DINK OFFION!

PA

17 CHISTY

FUTURE OF HONG KONG : LETTER FROM SIR PHILIP GOODHART MP

44) 1.

SIR PHILIP GOODHART HAS WRITTEN TO MR LUCE FOLLOWING HIS

RECENT VISIT TO HONG KONG, EXPRESSING THE VIEW THAT 'IT WILL BE A MIRACLE IF WE EMERGE FROM THE TALKS WITH AN AGREEMENT THAT ANY

SENSIBLE HONG KONG RESIDENT WOULD FIND ACCEPTABLE'. HE BELIEVES THAT 'WE HAVE 14 YEARS IN WHICH TO AVOID SCENES REMINISCENT OF

THE LAST HELICOPTERS LEAVING THE ROOF OF THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN SAIGON'. HE PROPOSES THAT A RESETTLEMENT FUND SHOULD BE

ESTABLISHED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND THAT WE SHOULD BEGIN QUIET

DISCUSSIONS WITH POTENTIAL HOST COUNTRIES.

2.

ENCLOSED WITH HIS LETTER IS A COPY OF A PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL LETTER DATED 1 NOVEMBER WHICH HE HAS SENT TO MR OSWALD CHEUNG. IN THIS LETTER HE MENTIONS THAT THE LOWEST ESTIMATE OF THE

NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO MIGHT WANT TO LEAVE HONG KONG WHICH HE HAS HEARD IS 750,000. LEAVING ASIDE THOSE HONG KONG RESIDENTS WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND ALTERNATIVE HOMES ABROAD THROUGH THEIR OWN INITIATIVE, HE BELIEVES THIS COULD LEAVE HALF A MILLION OR A MILLION PEOPLE WHO FEAR THE PROSPECT OF LIVING IN A

COMMUNIST-DOMINATED SOCIETY AND WHO CANNOT PROTECT THEMSELVES.

HE SAYS THE TIME HAS COME TO START DISCUSSING THE MATTER

WITH HOST COUNTRIES AND ACCUMULATING A SUBSTANTIAL

RESETTLEMENT FUND FOR POSSIBLE USE IN THE MID-90S. HE POINTS OUT

THAT IT IS DIFFICULT FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO DIRECT SUBSTANTIAL FUNDS TO SUCH A FUND WHILE THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE TAKING PLACE BUT SUGGESTS THAT AFTER 30 JUNE 1984 THE JOCKEY CLUB SHOULD DIVERT DONATIONS INTO A RESETTLEMENT FUND, WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT MAKING GOOD THE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NUMEROUS

CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONS THAT NOW DEPEND ON JOCKEY CLUB DONATIONS.

HE FORESEES A SHARP SCALING DOWN IN THE YEARS TO COME OF SUMS

See (98)

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