TNAG-1745-FCO40-2464-Visits-by-FCO-officials-to-Hong-Kong--including-visit-by-Lor-1988 — Page 57

177

CONFIDENTIAL

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050434 MDHIAN 7009

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14 JUL 1988

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CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2693

OF 13100OZ JULY 88

Iron Taken

PERSONAL FOR HUM, HKD, FROM PS/GH

MIPT : LORD GLENARTHUR'S VISIT : RECORD OF MEETING WITH OMELCO

INTRODUCTION

SIR SY CHUNG WELCOMED THE MINISTER OF STATE AND MEMBERS OF

HIS PARTY TO THE MEETING.

2. THE MINISTER OF STATE SAID THAT HE WAS PLEASED TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET MEMBERS AND TO EXCHANGE VIEWS WITH THEM ON A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS. HE ADDED THAT HE HAD BEEN TO CHINA AND MET A NUMBER OF SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS BEFORE COMING TO HONG KONG. HE FOUND THE ATTITUDE OF THE CHINESE OFFICIALS VERY REASSURING AND ENCOURAGING. IN RELATION TO THE DRAFT BASIC LAW, THE CONCERN OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS AS REFLECTED IN THE RECENT DEBATE HAD BEEN NOTED BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES. AS REGARDS THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM, THEY HAD INDICATED THEIR SUPPORT OF THE NEW SCREENING POLICY, WHILE ON THE ISSUE OF EMIGRATION, THEY WERE AWARE OF THE INCREASING NUMBER OF PEOPLE LEAVING HONG KONG AND FELT THAT THERE

WAS A NEED TO SUSTAIN THE CONFIDENCE OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE.

3. REFERRING TO THE ISSUES WHICH MEMBERS RAISED WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS DURING THE OMELCO MEETING HELD ON 31 MAY 1988, (THE NEXT 4 WORDS UNDERLINED) THE MINISTER OF STATE SAID THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD DONE A LOT TO EASE THE BURDEN OF HONG KONG IN RESPECT OF THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE PROBLEM AND THE NEW POLICY INTRODUCED RECENTLY HAD THE FULL

SUPPORT OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ON THE DRAFT THAT THIS WAS BEING GIVEN DUE ATTENTION BY THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE. LASTLY BUT NOT LEAST, THE HAD ALSO DISCUSSED WITH THE HOME SECRETARY THE COMPLAINTS AGAINST UK IMMIGRATION OFFICERS. WHILE THE CASES WERE BEING UNDER INVESTIGATION, THE GENERAL PROCEDURAL ASPECTS WERE CLOSELY EXAMINED TO SEE IF IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE MADE.

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE PROBLEM

BASIC LAW, HE SAID FOREIGN AND SECRETARY OF STATE

4. MRS RITA FAN SAID THAT MEMBERS WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE BRITISH

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