TNAG-1967-FCO40-2799-Confidence-building-measures-for-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 26

CONFIDENTIAL

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053761

MDLIAN 5242

нко

HKD 091/1

TOP COPY Q DIST?

CONFIDENTIAL

FM BTC HONG KONG

TO ROUTINE FCO

TELNO 375

OF 24070OZ AUGUST 89

INFO ROUTINE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, HONG KONG

UKREP JLG (PERSONAL FOR MARTIN)

HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR ACTING GOVERNOR)

FOR HONG KONG DEPARTMENT

YOUR TELNO 1737 TO HONG KONG: CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES

SUMMARY

1. POSSIBILITIES INCLUDE GENEROURS PACKAGE ON NATIONALITY, HIGH LEVEL VISITS, COMMERCIAL SUPPORT INCLUDING MAJOR PROJECTS, MAINTAINING INTERNATIONAL FEATURES, A STRONG BRITISH GOVERNMENT PRESENCE, HELP FOR HK EDUCATION, AND MOBILISING INTERNATIONAL BACKING. IN RETURN WE COULD LOOK FOR MORE SUPPORT ON TRADE.

DETAIL

2. THIS OF COURSE IS WELL TRODDEN GROUND AND IT IS SCARCELY POSSIBLE TO COME UP WITH NEW, IMAGINATIVE, AND STILL LESS EXOTIC, IDEAS ON RESTORING CONFIDENCE AND UNDERLINING THE UK COMMITMENT. THE FOLLOWING HOWEVER ARE SOME THOUGHTS IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER OF PRIOR-

ITY.

(I) A GENEROUS PACKAGE ON THE NATIONALITY AND PASSPORT ISSUE, EVEN ALTHOUGH IT IS HARD TO SEE HOW WE CAN WIN ON THIS. HOWEVER GENEROUS WE STRIVE TO BE, ANYTHING LESS THAN RIGHT OF ABODE FOR ALL BDTCS WILL BE GREETED WITH GLOOM AND PERHAPS HOSTILITY. NEVERTHELESS A REASONABLY GENEROUS PACKAGE, PARTICULARLY FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WHOSE CONTINUING PROSPERITY IS THE BEST BULWARK AGAINST EXCESSIVE CHINESE INTERVENTION AFTER 1997, IS LIKELY TO REMAIN IN THE EYES OF MOST HONG KONG CHINESE THE BEST GESTURE WE COULD MAKE TO MAINTAIN MORALE. PRESENTATIONALLY, IT WILL BE IMPORTANT NOT TO LET EXPECTATIO- NS OUTRUN THE LIKELY OUTCOME, PERHAPS BY GIVEING INDICATIONS IN ADVANCE OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF PROBABLE CEILINGS. MORALE WOULD ALSO BE HELPED NOT ONLY BY OUR PUSHING OTHER APPROPRIATE GOVERNMENTS TO GUARANTEE PLACES OF REFUGE IN THE LAST RESORT, BUT TO BE SEEN TO BE

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