TNAG-2210-FCO40-3170-Future-of-Hong-Kong-political-parties-1991 — Page 13

Authority. This is not the case. Discussions are

continuing between the Hong Kong Government and the

Chinese Government about membership of the

Consultative Committee. Agreement has been reached on

the Airport Committee constituted under the Joint Liason

Group.

Third, you urge a review of the 50 hectare limit for

annual release of new land laid down in the Joint

Declaration. In fact, in every year since the Land

Commission was established in 1985, more than 50 hectares

of new land have been agreed for release. In the current

year, over 81 hectares will be released. In the last

financial year over 120 hectares was released.

Kong Government does not have a high land price policy

and we would also agree that the restriction in the Joint

Declaration is not contributing to land costs.

The Hong

Fourth, the issue of Vietnamese Boat people. The

Prime Minister took this issue up with the Chinese

Government. They agreed that efforts to resolve the

problem should be intensified and that they would support

all steps taken by Hong Kong to that end.

As the Prime Minister made clear in Hong Kong, he fully appreciates the tremendous pressures Hong Kong is under and appreciates how Hong Kong has coped efficiently and humanely with the problem. Most of the boat people are economic migrants and they will have to return home.

We are negotiating with the Vietnamese Government for the

establishment of centres in Vietnam for such people that would be internationally managed and under the control of United Nations Agencies.

J S Wall