4
1
achieved 'first-class status, whilst those who are left off 'the list' will feel humiliated. How is this supposed to create a stable society in Hong Kong? Who will determine who is on the list? Will it be by job category? Will those in certain jobs who emigrate, change jobs, or die, have their 'first-class status taken up by incomers to their jobs? Will there develop a 'market' for 'British-passport- entitlement' jobs?
a
In a nutshell, I am sorry to say that I believe that a number of recent proposals from the Foreign Office have not maintained the standards which have served the people of Hong Kong so well in recent years. For example, the proposal expressed publicly that the Chinese government should forego the right to station troops in Hong Kong was seen by Beijing_as direct challenge to their sovereignty. If they at a future date exercise their right not to station troops in Hong Kong that is a decision which they must take and be seen to take. Making such a proposal public of behalf of HMG was guaranteed to create yet more uncertainty in the minds of the
the political leaders
in Beijing. in
With their present feelings of doubt, guilt and frustration caused by their own problems, it would seem to me a good time to be avoiding the production of hostages to fortune.
I am very glad that David Wilson is going to Beijing next week: he of all people has a better understanding of all this than anybody and I doubt that he is too pleased with the recent turns of events. I am also glad that Percy Cradock has been, too. Contact is essential. I am sending each
of them a copy of this letter.
In our meetings in We did our best to
'84 Agreement.
Beijing with Zhou
Beijing with Zhou Nan and Wu Xueqian reaffirm to reaffirm the commitment of HMG to the Recent events will probably lead them to think that we were either being duplicious or were out of touch with your thinking.
I am afraid that as things stand I cannot support the Govern- ment's proposals for passports for certain Hong Kong citizens, which I believe are much more likely to undermine than to generate stability in Hong Kong. There has always been an exodus from the colony of people seeking a better life elsewhere. This will doubtless continue and increase in the coming years, but as I have said I think it is better to face this situation and re-train as we go, rather than to risk creating a
a mass exodus post-1997, which could be triggered as so often in Hong Kong by trivial events. I fear that your policy could be a dangerous gamble.
E
Rt Hon Douglas Hurd MP
-
Secretary of State Foreign & Commonwealth Office
}
汝
Page 165Page 166
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.