TNAG-1306-FCO40-1663-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 30

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Taher into account

Reference

Bes/ 251,

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: POSSIBLE DEMANDS FOR UNDERTAKINGS BY HMG TO HONG KONG PEOPLE AFTER 1997

1. I have the following comments on your draft minute:-

53

(a) One other argument against any undertakings is surely that

they might upset the Chinese, who might feel that by giving them HMG was suggesting that the arrangements were not satisfactory and thus undermining confidence. Paragraph 7 might be expanded to include this point.

(b) Paragraph 9. There are indeed some 3 million BDTC's

in Hong Kong now, but there will be many more by 1997. I suggest that your inserted sentence be amended to read:-

'Even BDTCs in Hong Kong number 3 million now, and there will be many more of them in 1997'.

(c) While I agree with the logic of the conclusions in

paragraphs 11-12 and of the line proposed in paragraphs 14-15, I do not think we should be under any illusions that we can rule out the possibility of HMG nevertheless coming under severe criticism, based on emotion rather than logic, both from some BDTC (HK)s and from human rights groups in the UK. (I doubt too if EXCO will drop this idea very easily). That HMG is selling out Briitsh nationals and pursuing racist immigration policies are only the most obvious charges. It may be that Ministers will simply have to weather any storm of this kind, but I think we should refer here to the possibility of it. We may also need to consider referring publicly to the existance of Section 4(5) of the BNA, which constitutes a special arrangement for certain categories of BDTC and could well be used to help those who have a genuine reason to fear the prospect of remaining in Hong Kong after 1997 or who at least have a genuine claim on HMG as a result of services to the Crown. I realise that this telf poses problems but we could possibly avoid being specific now and we are after all going to have to consider at some stage whether, and if so,how, we are going to make use of this section.

20 January 1984

cc: Mr Morris

CODE 18-77

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Rebiffene

R J F Hoare

Hong Kong Department

MICKO40/1

RECEIVED IN MEGISTRY

27 A1984

DESK ORL

INDEX

PA

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Acton Taken

9 Chal

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