TNAG-1739-FCO40-2455-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-UK-1988 — Page 20

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FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 879

OF 01103OZ MARCH 88

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HRB 020112

145154 MDLIAN 4130

3

STIRCTLY PERSONAL FOR HUM, HKD FROM GOVERNOR

Y OUR TELNO 506 : UK/HONG KONG BILATERAL ISSUES

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS BRIEFLY WITH LORD GLENARTHUR DURING HIS RECENT VISIT THE PROBLEM OF THE UK/HONG KONG RELATIONSHIP. I MADE THE POINT THAT DESPITE OUR ECONOMIC SUCCESS PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WERE NERVOUS ABOUT THE FUTURE, AND THAT MUCH OF THIS NERVOUSNESS TENDED TO BE EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UK: IN PARTICULAR THROUGH CRITICISM THAT HMG WAS NOT DOING ENOUGH TO DEFEND HONG KONG'S INTERESTS. THERE WERE OBVIOUS EXAMPLES OF THIS THE WHITE PAPER, VRS, THE DCA. THE PROBLEM WAS ONE THAT WAS NOT LIKELY TO GO AWAY. BUT IT BE ALLEVIATED TO SOME EXTENT BY A DEGREE OF SYMPATHY AND IMAGINATION IN HMG'S DEALINGS WITH HONG KONG E.G. LEGCO MEMBERS

MINISTERS, AND OTHER PROMINENT VISITORS TO LONDON BEING RECEIVED BY IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS FOR BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS.

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COULD

2 I ALSO ASKED LORD GLENARTUR WHETHER THERE WERE ANY AREAS IN WHICH

HE SAID THE HKG COULD HANDLE MATTERS BETTER THAN WE DID AT PRESENT. THAT THE MAIN PROBLEM HE NOTICED WAS THE CONTINUING SCEPTICISM ABOUT CHINESE INTENTIONS. WE AGREED THAT OVERCOMING THIS WOULD BE A LONG TERM TASK. DAVID GILLMORE SUGGESTED THAT WE SHOULD STRENGHTEN THE HKGO IN LONDON, AND IN PARTICULAR ITS CAPACITY TO INFLUENCE OPINION OUTSIDE WHITEHALL, AND TRY AND GET AS MANY INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE TO VISIT HONG KONG AND SEE IT FOR THEMSELVES. WE SHALL BE PURSUING THESE IDEAS.

3.

YOU WILL NO DOUBT BE CONSIDERING IN DUE COURSE THE HANDLING OF LORD GLENARTHUR'S VISIT HERE IN JUNE. HANDLING OF THE PRESS IS LIKELY TO BE A PARTICULAR POINT OF DIFFICULTY. IT IS, I BELIEVE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE THAT LORD GLENARTHUR SHOULD HAVE SOME POSITIVE THINGS TO SAY BOTH TO EXCO AND PUBLICLY. VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IS AN AREA ON WHICH HE IS CERTAIN TO BE QUESTIONED CLOSELY. IT WOULD MAKE A GREAT DEAL OF DIFFERENCE TO THE SUCCESS OF HIS VISIT IF HE WERE ABLE TO ANNOUNCE AN ADDITIONAL RESETTLEMENT QUOTE (PARA 3 OF TUR) AND/OR A MAJOR POLICY INITIATIVE TO TACKLE THE LONG-TERM ISSUE OF REPATRIATION.

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