TNAG-1324-FCO40-1736-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1984 — Page 55

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(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

(v)

(vi)

(vii)

(viii)

(ix)

concerns of Hong Kong public servants (over terms of service, pensions, admission to the UK and registration under the British Nationality Act);

other undertakings to the people of Hong Kong (covering resettlement or financial assistance);

whether the essentials of the Basic Law would be enshrined in the agreement (UMELCO point);

whether ratification would be withheld until the details of the Basic Law were known (UMELCO point);

the proposition that a residual British status be retained in Hong Kong after 1997 (UMELCO point);

accusations of sell-out;

allegations that sovereignty has already been conceded;

incompatitibility of communist China and capitalist Hong Kong.

It will of course be necessary to provide suitable defensive material in case these points are pressed.

4.

I think it would be best if the remaining points listed by the Secretary of State, namely:

(i) no amendment possible to draft agreement

after publication;

(ii)

what if no agreement reached; and

(iii) <

what if agreement rejected by Hong Kong were finessed.

(ii) and (iii) can be dismissed as hypothetical. On (i)

I see no alternative to the line that these procedural

details are subject to the confidentiality of the negotiations.

5.

We have begun to expand the outline of the Secretary of State's speech. If the Secretary of State is content with these, we shall take these into account in further work on the draft. We shall also prepare a comprhensive list of notes for supplementaries, including the issues in paragraphs 3 and 4 above.

Din

R D Clift

Hong Kong Department

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