TNAG-1907-FCO40-2711-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 30

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not exclude a scheme for an international safety net. But other countries would want to see what the UK was prepared to offer first.

6. Mr Foulkes asked about progress in the JLG and on direct elections. Mr Maude said that our policy was for gradual re-engagement. The question of direct elections was the most difficult one of all. There was great pressure to move to 20 directly elected seats in 1991. This risked a major row with the Chinese. Hong Kong support for greater democracy might dissolve in the face of that. But such pressure was not unhelpful. He would welcome another opportunity to discuss this with Mr Foulkes after the Government had announced its package. But a decision was not imminent.

Mr Foulkes said that he thought Hong Kong rather over-played its problems with the VBP at times, particularly when Hong Kong was asking the UK to accept nearly 6 million of its own population.

Nicola Brower прода

Nicola Brewer

Private Secretary to Francis Maude

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