00000
FAC fire
Nationality
Myland HKD c Mathing his mich Hos
To:
Why
Henry Keswich
Secretary of State
Je Mr Gollmore
336
Mr Mclare PS/ Lord Gothe 2. Scrctory & State
From:
David Harris, M.P.
27th April 1989
Good but lets wait as
I had dinner last night with The Hong Kong Association. Henry Keswick, supported by a number of members, said that the main issue was "passports" and he felt this problem would not go away.
Without exception, the M.P.s present made it clear that it is simply not on to give the Hong Kong Chinese passports to come to Britain, and the members of the Association quickly backed off any suggestion of this, and argued instead, that Britain should look at the possibility of greater flexibility. Henry Keswick also claimed that the British case was going by default in Hong Kong and said there was a need for Ministers or someone to "get alongside smelly journalists." He went a delicate shade of red when I rather agreed with him as a smelly journalist myself but pointed out that you had done a lot on Hong Kong, particularly in relationship to the Select Committee. He was also on his hobbyhorse of having а Consul General in Hong Kong to put the British case and to look after British interests, particularly with trade.
The Select Committee returned to Westminster yesterday and Michael Jopling tells me that, despite fears to the contrary, they were well received in Peking. He was very robust over the Vietnamese boat people and is in favour of repatriation. He x claims it was a mistake to allow them to do work in Hong Kong.
But me thinks that the Committee will stamp on the idea of giving a right of entry to the United Kingdom for Hong Kong Chinese and, apparently, during the hearings in Hong Kong he quoted what you yourself had said on this.
8025
Miss Maroo
манаты
ཨ
2
N215 Mc For many ys (for 1x).
менарый
Mr Hague 215 McHaga
HKB 04/3
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.