TNAG-1445-FCO40-1929-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 23

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(E) **STANDING UP FOR HONG KONG**: FOR THE HONG KONG PUBLIC, AND FOR EXCO, THE FIRST TEST OF A NEW GOVERNOR WILL BE WHETHER HE WILL STAND UP FOR HONG KONG'S INTERESTS, PARTICULARLY ECONOMIC INTERESTS, EVEN WHEN THESE CLASH WITH UK INTERESTS. I AM PARTICULARLY CONCERNED IN THIS CONTEXT ABOUT THE RECENT REVERSAL OF BRITISH AIRWAYS' PLAN TO GIVE UP THE HONG KONG-PEKING ROUTE IN 1987. THIS EVOKED BITTERNESS AND EVEN REFERENCES TO COLONIALISM' AT THIS WEEKS'S EXCO. I WILL NOT GO OVER GROUND COVERED IN OTHER CORRESPONDENCE. BUT FOR HONG KONG IT IS IMPORTANT TO START THE YEAR BY GETTING THIS ONE RIGHT. LATER IN THE YEAR NEGOTIATIONS OVER THE DCA CARRY WITH THEM THE SAME SORT OF DIFFICULTY. VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ALSO REMAIN A CONSIDERABLE LOCAL PREOCCUPATION WITH A STRONG FEELING THAT HMG IS NOT DOING ENOUGH TO HELP. THIS WILL BE THE SUBJECT OF AN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE IN JANUARY.

11. AS ALWAYS TOO WE MUST ALLOW FOR THE UNEXPECTED. ON PRESENT FORM A SINO-PORTUGUESE SETTLEMENT ON MACAU, EXPECTED FOR THE SPRING, MAY PASS WITHOUT ADVERSE NOTICE HERE: BUT A GOOD DEAL DEPENDS ON THE FINAL TERMS. IT MAY REVIVE DISCUSSION HERE OF THE MERITS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.

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