TNAG-2512-FCO40-3665-Future-of-Hong-Kong-International-Rights-and-Obligations-(IR-1992 — Page 275

should be raised from the British side is, in my view, misplaced.

It would only serve to distract attention from questions of East/

West relations when Western nations are trying to present a united front on the question of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Nothing would be achieved; with the possible exception of the communists all other delegations would be studiously neutral (and disapproving). Although the restrictions on Gibraltar are contrary to the spirit of the Final Act, the wording is insuffi- ciently precise to enable us to contest the interpretation which Sr Oreja placed on it in his speech to the Senate External Relations Committee on 6 December last year (text at Annex C to

the memorandum). In my view it is not in the British interest

wider

ه عليمة ما

to doumiler the area of the dispute with Spain over Gibraltar

even when Gibraltarian leaders wish it.

6. I am submitting on this question only because a quasi formal request by the Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition

has been made for a British initiative on Gibraltar at the CSCE

meeting I hesitate to turn it down at the department level but

have no doubt that it should be turned down.

15 October 1980

cc CSCE Unit

T LA Daunt

Southern European Department

CONFIDENTI

}