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THERE BEING NO MORE INCIDENTS. THE BANK OF CHINA AFFAIR ON THE
-ING OF 3RD OCTOBER, FOR EXAMPLE, COULD EASILY HAVE GOT OUT OF
HAND.
8. PUN THEN SAID THAT THE SOLUTION OF THE HONG KONG PROBLEM WAS A
POLICY MATTER. WHETHER WE WISHED TO SOLVE THE HONG KONG PROBLEM OR
NOT WOULD BE CLEAR FROM THE POLICY WE ADOPTED. THEN P.A. ASKED
WHAT MEASURES N.C.N.A. HAD IN HIND. PUN SAID THERE WAS THE QUESTION
OF THE STRIKERS WHO WANTED REINSTATEMENT. WE WERE DOING NOTHING TO
SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BUT HAD ADOPTED A PASSIVE AND OBSTRUCTIVE
ATTITUDE. AFTER P.A. HAD EXPLAINED OUR POSITION ON STRIKERS, PUN
REFERRED TO THE COMFORT RICE'. HE SAID THAT WE HAD ACCEPTED IN
PRINCIPLE THE IMPORT OF THIS RICE, WHICH SHOWED THAT WE RECOGNISED
THAT IT WOULD NOT UPSET THE MARKET, AND HAD THEN PUT OBSTACLES IN
THE WAY OF THE ACTUAL IMPORTATION. P.A. SAID THAT ON THE CONTRARY
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD LEANT OVER BACKWARDS TO ACCOMODATE THE
CHINESE ON THIS QUESTION BUT THEY HAD DECLINED TO ACCEPT THE VERY
SIMPLE CONDITIONS WE HAD MADE.
1
9. PUN THEN REVERTED TO THE QUESTION OF PRISONERS. WE HAD REFUSED
LAST YEAR TO ALLOW THEM TO BE SUPPLIED WITH WINTER CLOTHING. WINTER
HAD ARRIVED AGAIN. WOULD WE AGAIN REFUSE ? THERE WAS ALSO THE
QUESTION OF INADEQUATE FOOD. P.A. SAID THESE COMPLAINTS HAD BEEN
INVESTIGATED BUT HE WAS PREPARED TO LOOK INTO THE QUESTION OF WINTER
CLOTHING. PUN CONCLUDED BY SAYING THAT IF THE HONG KONG AUTHORIT-
-IES REALLY WISHED TO SOLVE THE HONG KONG PROBLEM THEY WOULD
知
HAVE TO TAKE POSITIVE STEPS. SO FAR THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF THESE
POSITIVE STEPS, AND THE N.C.N.A. THERE FORE DOUBTED WHETHER
THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES REALLY WISHED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEN.
/10. P.A,
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