TNAG-1373-FCO40-1819-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 301

OCMIAN 8235

CONFIDENTIAL

DD 2201002 HOKON

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

21160OZ OCT

GRS 185

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

CONFIDENTIAL

18235

нии 02716

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

2 2 OCT 1935

DES* OFFICER

INDEX

PA

TO DESKBY 220100Z HONG KONG

TELNO 1616

OF 21160OZ OCTOBER 85

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: MR RENTON'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: NATIONALITY

1.

DONALD THOMPSON MP, WHO RECENTLY VISITED HONG KONG HAS TOLD MR RENTON THAT A PARTICULAR CRITICISM BEING LEVELLED AGAINST HMG IN THE TERRITORY IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS BETRAYED MRS THATCHER'S COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ON

NATIONALITY.

2.

WE ARE PREPARING A DEFENSIVE LINE ON THIS FOR MR RENTON. WE ASSUME THAT THE CRITICISM IS IN FACT BASED ON A MIXTURE OF MISINTERPRETATION OF THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE BNA AND THE PRIME MINISTER'S COMMENTS ON MORAL COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG IN 1982, MADE AT HER PRESS CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG OF

SHE SAID NOTHING AT HER PRESS 27 SEPTEMBER OF THAT YEAR. CONFERENCE OF 21 DECEMBER 1984 WHICH COULD HAVE GIVEN RISE TO ANY SUCH ACCUSATIONS.

3.

GRATEFUL FOR ANY INDICATIONS YOU MAY HAVE HAD OF THIS LINE OF CRITICISM AND ITS SOURCES, AND ANY FURTHER BACKGROUND, DESKBY 220830Z.

HOWE

1

231

'HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED HD/HKD HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

RES (MR WALKER)

PS

PS/MR RENTON

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS NEWS DEPT MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVS MR MARTIN ASST STAFF

CABINET OFFICE

MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE MR DRC CHRISTOPHER

CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADDOCK NO 10 DOWNING ST. MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

MR J CROWLEY PUSD

3