TNAG-1298-FCO40-1653-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1984 — Page 81

20. THERE HAVE BEEN REPEATED CALLS IN HONG KONG AND BRITAIN FOR THE VEIL OF SECRECY TO BE LIFTED. HAVE YOU REVIEWED THE CONTINUED NECESSITY FOR CONFIDENTIALITY, GIVEN THE SOMETIMES DAMAGING SPECULATION THAT ORIGINATES FROM SOURCES OUTSIDE THE TALKS?

21. DID THE UK GOVERNMENT ENGINEER THE LOBO MOTION? IF SO,

22. WHAT IS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S VIEW ON THE SEVEN POINTS STRESSED BY UMELCO WHEN THEY WROTE TO MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT FOLLOWING THE LOBO MOTION DEBATE?

WHY?

23. IS IT TRUE THAT BRITAIN IS TRYING TO SEEK AN INTERNATIONAL GUARANTEE ON ANY AGREEMENT REACHED WITH PEKING ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE?

24. DO YOU EXPECT THAT AN AGREEMENT ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT BEFORE IT GOES INTO ITS JULY RECESS?

25. IF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG DISAPPROVE OF ANY AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA WILL THE UK GOVERNMENT STILL ATTEMPT TO HAVE THAT AGREEMENT APPROVED BY PARLIAMENT?

26. WHEN WILL THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SAY HOW IT WILL TEST THE ACCEPTABILITY BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG OF ANY AGREEMENT?

27. IS IT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO WITHDRAW FROM HONG KONG BY STAGES BETWEEN NOW AND 1997, SO THAT BY THAT TIME ANY REMAINING BRITISH LINKS WITH HONG KONG WILL BE MINIMAL?

28. THE QUEEN, THE PRIME MINISTER AND VARIOUS MINISTERS HAVE REPEATEDLY STATED THAT BRITAIN HAS A MORAL COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG. WHAT DOES THIS MORAL COMMITMENT'' ENTAIL?

29. CAN YOU GUARANTEE THAT HONG KONG CIVIL SERVANTS WILL BE PAID THEIR PENSIONS WHEN THEY ARE DUE, EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER 1997?

30. CAN YOU CATEGORICALLY DENY THAT THE NATIONALITY ACT 1981 WAS DESIGNED TO PREVENT LARGE NUMBERS OF HONG KONG CHINESE ATTEMPTING TO GAIN ENTRY TO THE UNITED KINGDOM BECAUSE OF ANXIETY AS TO THEIR FUTURE AFTER 1997?

31. WILL BRITAIN PROVIDE SANCTUARY TO BDTC'S WHO CANNOT ACCEPT THE POST 1997 ARRANGEMENTS?

32. WILL HONG KONG CIVIL SERVANTS BE AFFORDED ANY PREFERENTIAL PERMISSION TO SETTLE IN THE UK?

33. IS IT TRUE THAT BRITAIN HAS ASKED A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES IF THEY WILL ACCEPT HONG KONG RESIDENTS WHO WISH TO LEAVE THE TERRITORY BECAUSE THEY ARE DISSATISFIED WITH THE POST 1997 ARRANGEMENTS?

CONFIDENTIAL

/ 34. DO YOU