TNAG-1849-FCO40-2624-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 10

24 MAY '89 19:44

FROM COI TECH RADIO

01 633 0920

.AGE.009

TRANSCRIPT H: SELECT COMMITTEE RE HONG KONG 24 MAY 1989

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CHAIRMAN (CONTD>:

Kong's future, i.e. that it never could become

independent, it was going to be part of another nation

he clains and here we come to the pith of the matter:

"Britain has a responsibility to provide the people

of Hong Kong with a meaningful citizenship under

British sovereignty with right of abode in

Britain.

tt

Now Minister, how would you reply to that argument

whicb, of course, is at the heart of the feelings

expressed to us and when we consider that the right of

abode is available in Britain to millions of other people

round the world?

MR. TIM RENTON:

H

I

First, on the question of no say on the matter",

think essentially that is a matter that the Foreign and

and I think he may Commonwealth Secretary must deal with

—

be coming before your Committee again because obviously

he has been deeply involved from the word "Go" in the

discussions leading up to that Joint Declaration and

subsequently, but I do remember from my own time as