CONFIDENTIAL
057272
MDHIAN 1290
LOCALISATION PROGRAMME. WE RECOGNISE THAT IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY AND EFFICIENTY OF THE CIVIL SERVICE. IF YOU ARE TO CONTINUE TO PERFORM WELL AND DO THE JOB THAT HONG KONG AND BRITAIN YES, EVEN CHINA NEED, THEN YOU MUST BE ABLE TO CONCENTRATE ON YOUR WORK THAT MEANS BEING FREE, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, FROM FEARS ABOUT YOUR OWN FUTURE.
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7= ONE IMPORTANT KEY TO THIS IS, I REALISE, HOW WE RESOLVE THE
ISSUE OF NATIONALITY. WE IN BRITAIN HAVE BEEN LEFT IN NO DOUBT ABOUT THE INTENSITY OF FEELING IN HONG KONG ON THIS ISSUE. I PERSONALLY UNDERSTAND THOUGH THERE ARE MANY IN BRITAIN WHO DO NOT - THAT MOST HONG KONG PEOPLE DO NOT WISH TO LEAVE. BUT I WOULD BE LESS THAN HONEST WITH YOU IF I DID NOT WARN THAT FULL BRITISH NATIONALITY FOR ALL BDTCS IS UNLIKELY TO BE POLITICALLY ACCEPTABLE IN UK.
THE NATIONALITY DOOR HAS BEEN SET AT A CERTAIN SIZE WITH THE AGREEMENT OF ALL POLITICAL PARITES IN UK SOME YEARS AGO. THE ONLY ROOM FOR MANOEUVRE THAT THE GOVERMENT NOW HAS IS HOW WIDELY WE OPEN THAT DOOR. AS YOU WILL HAVE SEEN, THE REPORT OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE HAS JUST PUBLISHED AND IT MAKES CERTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS ON THAT SUBJECT. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL BE CLOSELY STUDYING THE REPORT AND WE HOPE TO ANNOUNCE OUR CONCLUSIONS WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. BUT ONE THING I CAN SAY RIGHT NOW AND THAT IS TO GIVE AN ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE THAT ANY SOLUTION THAT WE DEVISE WILL TAKE CARE OF THE INTERESTS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.
HAVING SAID THAT YOU WILL, I AM SURE, UNDERSTAND THAT ANY SOLUTION CANNOT ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE ALONE, OR EVEN PREDOMINANTLY, FOR THAT WOULD DIVIDE THE COMMUNITY AND ULTIMATELY MAKE YOUR TASK OF GOVERNING HONG KONG TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE.
NOW LET US GO TO QUESTIONS.
WILSON
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CONFIDENTIAL
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