TNAG-1883-FCO40-2674-Visits-by-Lord-Glenarthur--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-1989 — Page 108

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 137

OF 12060OZ

JANUARY 89

INFO PRIORITY

PEKING

CONFIDENTIAL

17

DIST

HKB 026/1

156545 MDLIAN 7802

FROM PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

LORD GLENARTHUR'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: MEETING WITH LEGCO

SUMMARY

1.

RELATIVELY LOW PRESSURE SESSION, WITH REAL HEAT ONLY ON THE ISSUE OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. PRESSURE ON THE RIGHT OF SETTLEMENT FOR WIVES AND WIDOWS OF WAR VETERANS. DISCUSSION OF BRITAIN'S ROLE OVER THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW AND OF ECONOMIC ISSUES. THANKS FOR LORD GLENARTHUR'S EFFORTS OVER HONG KONG TRAVELLERS TO THE UK.

DETAILS

LORD GLENARTHUR MET LEGCO FOR ONE AND A QUARTER HOURS ON 10 JANUARY. THE ATMOSPHERE WAS POSITIVE, IF RATHER FORMAL.

2.

BASIC LAW

3. ANDREW WONG ASKED WHAT HMG HAD DONE TO PRESENT TO THE CHINESE THEIR AND HONG KONG'S VIEWS ON THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW (BL), AND WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING IN RESPONSE TO THE SECOND DRAFT. LORD GLENARTHUR REPLIED THAT THE DRAFTING. OF THE BL WAS OF COURSE A MATTER FOR THE CHINESE. BUT WE HAD A RIGHT AND AN OBLIGATION TO SATISFY OURSELVES THAT THE BL REFLECTED THE PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. IT WOULD NOT BE HELPFUL TO GIVE DETAILS OF OUR CONTACTS WITH THE CHINESE, BUT WE ENJOYED A FRUITFUL DIALOGUE WITH THEM WHICH HAD BEEN A FACTOR IN THE ENCOURAGING CHANGES WHICH HAD BEEN MADE TO THE FIRST DRAFT. IT WOULD NOT BE SENSIBLE TO COMMENT FURTHER ON THE SECOND DRAFT BEFORE SEEING ITS EXACT TERMS. AS FOR CONTACT IN THE JLG, THE WORK WAS MAKING STEADY IF UNSPECTACULAR PROGRESS ON A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT TECHNICAL ISSUES. WONG APPEALED FOR AN ASSURANCE THAT HMG WOULD STAND BY ITS RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE

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CONFIDENTIAL