HKD 340/4.
J Clarke Esq
Monte Cassino Veterans Association
41 Aldermary Road
Manchester
M21 2QW
Foreign & Commonwealth
Office
мат
file MAT
Be from
the Rabige пробия
199
London SWIA 2AH
Telephone: 071-270-2654
Thank you for your letter of 9 April to the Foreign Secretary. I have been asked to reply.
Your proposed solution to the problems facing Hong Kong and Northern Ireland is interesting but unfortunately not practicable for the reasons given below. The idea of resettling Hong Kong Chinese in such diverse places as the Falkland Islands, Hebrides and Northern Ireland has been suggested before.
The key point to our policy in Hong Kong is to generate confidence in the future of the colony, thereby encouraging the residents to remain where they are. I believe the nationality package has played a useful role in anchoring key people in the territory. Through the Joint Declaration; the treaty between Great Britain and China, Hong Kong will be permitted to remain very much as it is today for at least 50 years after its return to China in 1997. The Chinese Government recognise it is in their own interest for Hong Kong to continue in its role as a trading centre, thereby generating wealth in the region as a whole.
Returning to your proposals, it should be pointed out that it is not possible to settle and secure entire communities into one part of the UK. Even if the HK people decided to emigrate here they would be able to settle anywhere in Britain.
As for the Northern Ireland problems, you may be aware that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Peter Brooke, announced on 26 March that, after 14 months of exploratory discussions, he had found a basis for formal political talks which was acceptable to the main constitutional parties in
MAKAAR
VAS
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