RESTRICTED
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 385
OF 101515Z FEBRUARY 89
RESTRICTED
HRB 011/5
TOP COPY O
ST ?
12
102311
MDLOAN 9683
1.
DR
YOUR TELNO 424: CALL ON LORD GLENARTHUR BY DR C H LEONG.
WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE BACKGROUND AND GUIDANCE IN TUR. LEONG CALLED ON LORD GLENARTHUR TODAY. THE CALL LASTED ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND TOOK PLACE IN A RELAXED AND FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE. 2. DR LEONG SAID PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WERE STILL VERY ANXIOUS ABOUT VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. HE REFERRED TO RECENT PROBLEMS
OVER
ARRANGEMENTS FOR DOCTORS TO ATTEND UNHCR MANAGED CAMPS. LORD GLENARTHUR SAID HE WELL UNDERSTOOD HONG KONG'S CONCERNS AND SENSITIVITIES. THERE WERE ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENTS. THE FIRST BATCH OF THOSE WHO HAD ASKED TO RETURN TO VIETNAM SHOULD BE REPATRIATED SHORTLY. OUR CAMPAIGN TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO TAKE MORE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG WAS MAKING PROGRESS. WE WOULD DO ALL WE COULD TO MAINTAIN MOMENTUM ON THIS ISSUE, BUT THERE WERE
NO QUICK OR EASY SOLUTIONS.
3.
DR LEONG ASKED ABOUT THE CURRENT DEBATE ON NATIONALITY MATTERS. HE SAID THAT MOST PEOPLE DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE HONG KONG. THEY WANTED OVERSEAS PASSPORTS AS INSURANCE. HE THOUGHT THE CHINESE WOULD STILL WELCOME HONG KONG PEOPLE WITH OVERSEAS PASSPORTS. LORD GLENARTHUR SAID HE WAS WELL AWARE OF THE SENSITIVITIES IN HONG KONG ON NATIONALITY ISSUES. UNFORTUNATELY A NUMBER OF QUITE SEPARATE ISSUES WERE OFTEN MUDDLED UP. HE HELD OUT NO PROSPECT OF CHANGES IN LEGISLATION. THE IMPORTANT THING WAS TO MAINTAIN THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG.
4. DR LEONG SAID THAT RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BASIC LAW, PARTICULARLY ON THE FUTURE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT, HAD BEEN VERY DAMAGING TO CONFIDENCE. LORD GLENARTHUR NOTED THAT THERE HAD BEEN MANY CHANGES FOR THE BETTER IN THE REVISED DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW. ON THE FUTURE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT, HE SAID THAT A FEW YEARS AGO NOBODY WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WE COULD HAVE GOT TO THE PRESENT POSITION. FURTHERMORE THE CHINESE HAD MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS COULD BE CHANGED. BUT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT A CONSENSUS SHOULD DEVELOP IN HONG KONG IN THIS IMPORTANT AREA. WITHOUT SUCH A CONSENSUS IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THE CHINESE TO IDENTIFY THE BEST WAY AHEAD. NOR COULD WE PRESS
THE CHINESE TO ADOPT ANY PARTICULAR COURSE.
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