TNAG-2201-FCO40-3156-Hong-Kong-nationality-1990 — Page 52

ALL THE BEST

"We would simply be unable to cope with it," Mrs. Thatcher said. "You may be assured that Britain will not shirk her responsibilitics towards Hong Kong: our commitment to Hong Kong and to its people is firm." She indicated that "a Bill of Rights for Hong Kong will be introduced as soon as possible."

I was still troubled and not sure that would be enough to protect the citizens of Hong Kong from the kind of oppression the Chinese had proven they could unleash. So I wrote again to 10 Downing Street:

I greatly appreciate your response to my letter concerning Hong Kong. I was remiss in not making myself sufficiently aware of the significant details of British policy for the final decade. Your prepara- tion of the people of Hong Kong for the future, beginning with the institution of a Bill of Rights, is obviously of crucial importance. But a Bill of Rights derives its force from a government's willingness to respect it. At this moment in history, it challenges [the] imagination to believe that the Government of China is capable of embracing more than the most modest degree of political enlightenment.

Things may change radically, but it seems that the world will have one more refugee problem. I agree completely with you that the burden must be shared by the international community. I hope that Britain will take the leadership role, and have the United States by its side prepared to make the requisite sacrifices. However, I believe that Brit- ain as well as the other Commonwealth nations have a particular obligation to open their doors to the Chinese people of Hong Kong who wish to emigrate.

For what it is worth, it is very important that you press, as you are doing, for the strongest commitments from the Chinese government for at least modified democracy in Hong Kong.

It is understandable that the Chinese people of Hong Kong who arc British subjects have complained that the decision not to accept them into Great Britain in the event they need sanctuary is a racist decision. I'm sure they believe that if Argentina had won the war in the Falk- lands, every British subject on those islands would have been given unrestricted entry into Great Britain. Indeed, the Concorde would probably have been sent to bring them home as quickly as possible.

From the point of view of Hong Kong residents and their supporters, like myself, it could understandably appear that the decision was made on the basis of skin color. I believe the experience of the United States establishes that having the sons and daughters of every nation in the

57

..

..