TNAG-1849-FCO40-2624-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 26

24 MAY '89

19:51

FROM COI TECH RADIO

01 633 0920

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K

TRANSCRIPT I SELECT COMMITTEE ON HONG KONG

24 XAY 1989

8 -

R TEMPLE-MORRIS:

Owe a certain debt

So the question really is, with the background that

we have to judge when we get down to the specifics, how

restrictive are our Government's policies towards Hong

Kong? Would the Minister agree that we

to many Hong Kong people and would be further agree that many people might suggest to him that it is the duty of

Her Majesty's Government to look for categories, to look

for ways to be more generous than just dealing with the

3.25 million and saying rather blandly, as the Foreign

Secretary has to us, that there is no way that any lines

can be drawn?

This is really a question of principle and attitude,

duty and debt, and I wonder in general terms whether the

Minister would like to deal with it.

KR RENTOF:

or the

Well I think, Mr Temple-Morris, it is rather hard to

deal with categories in general terms, I have to say that

to you.

I was aware that you would probably want to ask

me a question about Crown Servants, for example,

position of widows, and I think in both of those cases

there clearly is an obligation on the United Kingdom and

On our Government which is recognised either in the

current treatment and/or in the Nationality Act of 1981.