TNAG-1991-FCO40-2831-Future-of-Hong-Kong-British-Nationality-(Hong-Kong)-Selectio-1990 — Page 67

160539Z

ADV/REF MR MCLAREN::ADV RES CLERK

LN ON 2785 PEHPAN 4805

SEL ET

DD 180800Z FCOLN

FM PEKIN TO FCOLN

160343Z DEC GRS 333

SECRET

HIGD

+190 340/18

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

0 8 JAN 1990

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

FX PEKING

TO DESKBY 180800Z FCO

TELNO 2185

OF 160343Z DECEMBER 99

AND TO DESKBY 180001Z HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG

STRICTLY PERSONAL FOR MCLAREN,

AUSS

HONG KONG STRICTLY PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR

BTC HONG KONG STRICTLY PERSONAL FOR HEAP

(27)

YOUR TELNO 1165%

NATIONALITY

I RECOGNIZE THE TIME CONSTRAINTS WHICH AFFECT DECISIONS AT THE LONDON END. HOWEVER, GRATEFUL YOUR EARLIEST POSSIBLE NOTICE AFTER CABINET SINCE I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE TEXTS (E.G. A SPEAKING NOTE) PREPARED HERE FOR LEAVING WITH THE CHINESE.

**

MY PRESENT PLAN IS TO RETURN TO PEKING BY THE CAAC FLIGHT WHICH ARRIVES HERE AT 1315 HOURS ON WEDNESDAY 20 DECEMBER. IF AFTER CONSULTATION WITH GOVERNOR HONG KONG AND HEAP, IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE TO BE BACK IN PEKING EARLIER, IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO TRAVEL BACK WITH THE CATHAY FLIGHT LEAVING HONG KONG AT NOON ON TUESDAY 19 DECEMBER. IN THE MEANTIME DAVID COATES IS NOW AT LEAST AS MUCH IN THE PICTURE AS I AM. WHETHER OR NOT I RETURN TO PEKING ON TUESDAY, I PLAN THAT BOTH HE AND I SHOULD SEEK A CALL ON GUO FENGMIN ON THE AFTERNOON OF WEDNESDAY 20 DECEMBER, POSSIBLY ABOUT 4.00 PM IF THIS CAN BE ARRANGED AT SHORT NOTICE.

3.

THERE HAS BEEN SUCH PUBLICITY ABOUT THE IMPENDING NATIONALITY PACKAGE THAT I AM SURE THE CHINESE WILL ALREADY HAVE GIVEN SOME THOUGHT TO IT. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THEY WILL BE CONCERNED ABOUT:

A)

B)

4.

THE NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES OF THE SCHEME, POSSIBLY FEARING THAT WE WILL DEPRIVE HONG KONG OF TOO MANY OF ITS MOST ABLE PEOPLE: AND

THE PERIOD OF UNCERTAINTY BETWEEN NOW AND 1997 OVER WHO WILL GET THE BENEFIT OF THE BRITISH OFFER, POSSIBLY GIVING RISE TO FURTHER LOSS OF CONFIDENCE, COUPLED WITH THE PROBLEM OF DIVIDED LOYALTY. THIS COULD LINK WITH THEIR FEARS OF CONTINUED SUBVERSION COMING FROM HONG KONG, AND THEIR IMAGINED ANXIETY ABOUT COMBINED BRITISH INFLUENCE AFTER 1997.

YOU MIGHT WISH TO GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO THESE ASPECTS AND PROVIDE US WITH SOME DEFENSIVE MATERIAL IN CASE GUO FENGMIN

24