TNAG-1558-FCO40-2122-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 180

CONFIDENTIAL

GRS 350 CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 14113OZ FCO

TELNO 149

OF 141025Z JANUAPY 86

4NFO DESKBY 15010OZ PEKING (PEPSONAL FOR

ний оюу

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

15 JAN 1986

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

M

~REGISTRÝ

Action Taken

96

FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR WILSON

ASHA FPOM GOVERNOR

1. YOU WILL SEE FROM MY TELNO 146 THAT IF WE ALLOW THESE ISSUES TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE THE UNOFFICIALS ANNOUNCE THAT THEY ARE

SENDING A DELEGATION TO SEE THE PRIME MINISTER WE SHALL HAVE

REACHED AN EXTREMELY TRICKY POINT IN THE RELATIONS BETWEEN HONG

KONG AND LONDON.

2. THE PRIME MINISTER WOULD BE BOUND TO RECEIVE UNOFFICIALS. IN HER

MEETING WITH THE UNOFFICIALS ON 19 SEPTEMBER 1984 (AT WHICH THE PUS WAS PRESENT) SHE TOLD THE UNOFFICIALS THAT THEY SHOULD NOT

HESTIATE TO SEEK ANOTHER VISIT TO LONDON IF THEY THOUGHT THAT WAS

NECESSARY.

3. THE UNOFFICIALS ARE UNANIMOUS THAT IT IS WITHIN THE GIFT OF THE

BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO GIVE THEM THE ENDORSEMENT THEY WANT. ON SOME ISSUES IT CAN BE ARGUED THAT THE DIFFICULTY LIES WITH THE CHINESE.

ON THIS ONE HT CANNOT AND THEY WILL NOT BE SATISFIED WITH ARGUMENTS ABOUT PROBLEMS WITH THE AMMIGRATION RULES. AS MISS DUNN SAID, IF

THERE IS A WILL THERE IS A WAY.

4. IF IT GETS TO THE POINT WHERE THEY SEE THE PRIME MINISTER AND THEY ARE TURNED DOWN, THE SENSE OF RESENTMENT AND BETRAYAL AMONG -EXCO UNOFFICIALS WILL BE STRONG. THEY PUT THEIR NAMES ON THE LINE

IN FAVOUR OF ACCEPTANCE OF THE AGREEMENT IN SPITE OF THE IP

RESERVATIONS SEMICOLON THEY ARE NOW LOOKING FOR A RECIPROCAL UNDERSTANDING FROM HMG ON THER CONCERNS.

CONFIDENTIAL

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