TNAG-1849-FCO40-2624-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 34

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TRANSCRIPT I SELECT COMMITTEE ON HONG KONG 24 XAT 1989

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HGE.ØJC

MR RENTON (CONT):

We are led then to the suggestion of an insurance

package with the idea that the insurance package would be

there but it would not be very likely to be cashed.

Now I understand certainly from reading the evidence

and what has been put in the minutes, that such an

insurance policy would be very desirable to many people in

Hong Kong at the present time.

But first it seems to

that it would run

potentially very contradictory to the Memorandum on Right

of Abode attached to the Joint Declaration.

necessary,

I have to say

that it seems to me that it would imply a lack of

confidence in the continuing situation in Hong Kong that

would be undesirable certainly from the point of view of

Hong Kong itself, and I very much hope and believe at the

and of the day that such an insurance policy will not be

would not be necessary, because the future of

the people of Hong Kong does indeed lie in Hong Kong,

If you then remove those three possible solutions,

apart from the marginal changes in a few areas, that we

have already touched on, I do not have any other solution

to propose at this stage. I should be very interested to

see if your Committee does. And therefore I understand

why Sir Geoffrey came down in saying that he cannot see

resting place more suitable than the present arrangements.

a