TNAG-1339-FCO40-1771-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 69

Q12. WHAT MEASURES WILL THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TAKE TO ENSURE THAT

THE NEW FORM OF BRITISH PASSPORT FOR HK'S BDTCS WILL BE

ACCEPTED BY OTHER COUNTRIES?

A12. HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT WILL DO ALL IT CAN TO ENSURE FOR

THE HOLDERS OF THESE PASSPORTS THE SAME ACCESS TO OTHER COUNTRIES AS THAT ENJOYED AT PRESENT BY HOLDERS OF BRITISH DEPENDENT

TERRITORIES CITIZENS PASSPORTS. THERE IS NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT

THIRD COUNTRIES WILL NOT RECOGNISE THESE PASSPORTS.

DEFENCE

Q13. WERE YOU ABLE TO CONFIRM WITH CHINESE LEADERS THAT HONG KONG

PEOPLE WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO CONSCRIPTION?

A13. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT SUGGESTED THAT THERE WOULD BE

CONSCRIPTION IN THE SAR AND THERE IS NO REASON TO ASSUME THAT

THERE WOULD BE SUCH A THING.

DEMOCRATIC REFORMS IN HK

Q14. THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE WHITE PAPER ON REPRESENTATIVE

GOVERNMENT HAVE BEEN CRITICISED BY ADVOCATES OF DEMOCRATISATION

INCLUDING SOME MPS AS BEING TOO LITTLE AND TOO LATE''. WHY SHOULD

HK NOT HAVE DIRECT ELECTIONS NOW? IS IT BECAUSE PEKING DOES NOT

WISH TO SEE HK MOVE TOWARDS A WESTERN PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM?

A14. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S RECENT WHITE PAPER ON THE DEVELOPMENT

OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT PROVIDES FOR SUBSTANTIAL DEVELOPMENT

TOWARDS REPRESENTATIVE INSTITUTIONS IN THE 1985 ELECTIONS AND FOR THE PROSPECT OF FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IN THIS DIRECTION FOLLOWING

A FURTHER REVIEW IN 1987 WHICH WILL CONSIDER ALSO THE QUESTION OF

DIRECT ELECTIONS. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT IT

CONSIDERS THE NEXT 12 YEARS AS CRUCIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A

FIRMLY BASED DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG BUT WE SHALL

NEED TO KEEP CONSTANTLY IN MIND THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES AND ITS

FUTURE POSITION AS AN SAR OF THE PRC.

GUARANTEES

Q15. AS HAS BEEN SO OFTEN STATED THERE CAN BE NO ABSOLUTE GUARANTEES

FOR AN AGREEMENT SUCH AS THIS. SO AREN'T THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG

AT THE END OF THE DAY BEING ASKED TO TAKE CHINA'S WORD ON TRUST

WHEN MANY OF THEM HAVE SO MUCH REASON TO DOUBT IT?

A15. IT IS TRUE THAT THERE CAN BE NO ABSOLUTE GUARANTEE FOR THIS

OR ANY OTHER AGREEMENT BUT VERY FEW PLACES CAN HAVE THEIR

LONG-TERM FUTURE MAPPED OUT IN SUCH DETAIL AND WITH SUCH FIRM

COMMITMENT AS HONG KONG NOW HAS. WHAT LIES BEHIND THIS AGREEMENT

IS THE VERY SOLID COMMON INTEREST OF BOTH BRITAIN AND CHINA IN

PRESERVING HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY IN AN UNCERTAIN

WORLD, WHICH IS VERY REASSURING.

2. OTHER ISSUES WHICH ARE LIKELY TO COME UP :

(4) PEKING VISIT :

-

MAIN POINTS DISCUSSED WITH THE CHINESE LEADERS.

- PROGRESS ON DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT DEVELOPMENT.

-

BRITISH INVOLVEMENT IN OFFSHORE OIL EXPLORATION IN THE

/SOUTH

CONFIDENTIAL

!