TNAG-1981-FCO40-2814-UK-Hong-Kong-Scholarship-Scheme-donation-to-the-UK-Governme-1989 — Page 134

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WE

FENCED AND THAT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD IT BE USED AS A

JUSTIFICATION FOR ADOPTING THE SAME CRITERIA IN OTHER AREAS.

ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO REDUCE AND EVENTUALLY TERMINATE

SIMILAR SUPPORT SCHEMES IN MALAYSIA AND CYPRUS IN FAVOUR OF

TARGETTED MERIT SCHOLARSHIP ARRANGEMENTS, AND WOULD NOT WISH OUR DECISION ON THE HONG KONG SCHEME TO COMPLICATE OUR OTHER PLANS.

I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD BEAR THIS POINT IN MIND IN

HANDLING ANY LOCAL PUBLICITY ABOUT THE SCHEME BY FOCUSSING

ATTENTION AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ON THE NEW MERIT SCHOLARSHIP ARRANGEMENTS.

6. WE MUST TAKE EARLY ACTION IN SETTING UP THE SCHOLARSHIP

SCHEME IF IT IS TO PRODUCE STUDENTS FOR THE 1988/89 ACADEMIC

YEAR. I ASSUME THAT YOU WILL NOW SET UP A COMMITTEE IN

CONJUNCTION WITH THE BRITISH COUNCIL TO DETERMINE CRITERIA FOR

THE AWARD OF SCHOLARSHIPS AND TO OVERSEE THE APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS. MINISTERS ATTACH GREAT IMPORTANCE TO ENSURING

A HIGH PROFILE FOR THE MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS TO ESTABLISH THEM AS

/

A PRESTIGIOUS AWARD AND ATTRACT THE VERY BEST CANDIDATES.

IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL IF YOU COULD LET US HAVE DETAILS OF THE PRESENT STATUS OF THE SIR S K TANG BEQUEST, WHAT INTEREST IS SO FAR AVAILABLE, AND WHETHER OUR EXPECTATION OF INTEREST OF PDS STG.85,000 PER YEAR (FROM TWO THIRDS OF THE TOTAL BEQUEST)

IS

REALISTIC.

1. I TRUST THAT YOU AND EXCO WILL BE SATISFIED WITH THIS

OUTCOME, WHICH REFLECTS THE OVERRIDING CONSIDERATION WHICH WE HAVE GIVEN TO THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG AND THE

PARTICULAR SENSITIVITIES OF EXCO ON THIS SUBJECT, WHICH I

EXPERIENCED AT FIRST HAND DURING MY VISIT IN SEPTEMBER. I

WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD KINDLY CONFIRM THE WILLINGNESS

OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO PROCEED ON THIS BASIS FOR THE

YEARS 1988/89 AND 1989/90.

HOWE

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