TNAG-1849-FCO40-2624-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 50

24 MAY

'89 23:28

FROM COI

TECH RADIO

TRANSCRIPT J: SELECT COMMITTEE RE HONG KONG 24 MAY 1989

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PAGE.0:4/056

MR. DENNIS CANAVAN (CONTD):

Are there any circumstances at all in which you

could perhaps foresee the British Government introducing

such legislation? We touched earlier upon the special

circumstances I think you referred to the almost unique

circumstances of the Falkland Islanders and I suppose

-

there is a difference in numbers, 1400 compared with

three-and-a-quarter million, but you also referred to the

war record of the Falkland Islanders.

With respect to the Falkland Islanders, my

recollection is that only two civilians lost their lives

during the war with Argentina and they were killed

accidentally by the British forces and so, when you

compare the war record of the people of Hong Kong with the

Falkland Islanders, then understandably there must be many

people in Hong Kong who would accuse the British Government of a deplorable application of double standards

in not giving equal treatment to the people of Hong Kong

compared to the people of the Falkland Islands.

MR. TIK RENTON:

I do not want to get into disputation about that or

indeed to repeat all the remarks that I have already made

to the Committee, because I imagine there are other

matters that you would like to move

on to.