TNAG-2941-FCO40-4217-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-ethnic-minorities-1993 — Page 6

CONFIDENTIAL

more widely.

Mr Wardle took the opportunity of the debate on the two Hong Kong Orders in Council in Standing Committee this morning, to add the following sentence to his formal

restatement of the assurance:

B

C

"This assurance has been given in response to the special considerations affecting the non-Chinese ethnic minority, and it naturally does not extend to any other

category."

4.

Members of the FAC may be aware of what the Home Secretary

told Ms Lau (she made a statement to the press which was quite widely reported). They may question whether the latest Home Office qualification to the assurance accords with previous

Government statements. (I attach a copy of a compendium of

previous statements). It is of course clear that in each case the assurance was prompted by concern for the ethnic minority, but, as the Minister is aware, Home Office officials have

sought to refine and restrict the wording over the years precisely because the perception in Hong Kong was that it would apply more widely.

5. Members may also recall what the then Secretary of State,

Lord Howe told the FAC in June 1989, ie that in the event of "the Armageddon scenario" (Governor Wilson's definition of a complete collapse of confidence leading to massive emigration), HMG would need to mobilise the international community to help out, but, as the (former) colonial power,

would have a special responsibility to respond to refugees from Hong Kong. (Extracts from his evidence of 14 June 1989

attached). This line is broadly consistent with what the Home Secretary told Emily Lau.

6.

If pressed, the Minister will need to stick firmly to the

sub.fac14.MORRIS

JEB

CONFIDENTIAL