TNAG-1719-FCO40-2399-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 140

T

A

ARPAFX

Private Secretary

CONFIDENTIAL

file

150

FROM: A R Paul

Hong Kong Department

DATE: 3 March 1988

cc: PS/Lord Glenarthur

HKB 011/

RE

- 3 MAR 1988

HONG KONG: LETTER FROM MR EDWARD HEATH

Problem

1. A letter dated 20 February to the Secretary of State from

Mr Edward Heath.

Recommendation

2.

I recommend that the Secretary of State replies on the lines of the attached draft, which has been prepared in consultation with the

Home Office.

Background

B 3.

Hong Kong telno 636 gives an account of Mr Heath's recent visit to Hong Kong: on the issue of representative govrnment Mr Heath took a statesmanlike position in public, although he clearly has a number

of private reservations about the White Paper. I understand that the Secretary of State may already have thanked him for the public line he took in Hong Kong: if not a suitable reference might be inserted into the draft, which is otherwise on standard lines.

4. The line on employment and immigration prospects has been cleared with the Home Office. It is designed to present our policy in as positive a light as possible, although it is certainly arguable that the policy is a restrictive one by comparison with the policies adopted by other countries such as Canada and Australia.

A.RR.Panc

A R Paul

CONFIDENTIAL