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4.
ONE CAN POINT OUT, AS I HAVE DONE AD NAUSEOM, THAT HONG KONG
SHOULD RESIGN ITSELF TO LIVE WITH THIS PHENOMENON WHICH MUST BE
UNIQUE IN BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY HISTORY, BUT WHILE THIS MIGHT
BE ALL VERY WELL IF THE MATTER WERE SMALL, FOR SOMETHING WHICH THE POPULATIONS BELIEVES VITALLY AFFECTS ITS SAFETY, IT ONLY
INFURIATES.
PEOPLE
5. THE POINT ABOUT LACK OF AN ELECTED ASSEMBLY APPEARS TO
HERE TO BE EQUIVOCAL BECAUSE IN THIS CASE THE WISHES OF THE
POPULATION AT ALL LEVELS ARE NOT IN DOUBT. NOR CAN PEOPLE HERE
BE CONVINCED THAT THERE IS ANY NEED TO APPLY TO HONG KONG IN TIME OF PEACE MEASURES THOUGHT SUITABLE FOR NORTHERN IRELAND IN
TIME OF URBAN GUERILLA WAR. EVERYONE KNOWS THE SOCIAL SITUATIONS
ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT AS WELL AS DECADES AND THOUSANDS OF MILES
APART.
6. I APOLOGISE FOR PUTTING ALL THIS SO FRANKLY, BUT I WISH
YOU TO UNDERSTAND HOW LOCAL PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT THE ISSUE, AS I
FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ASSESS EXACTLY WHERE THE PROPOSED ACTION
MIGHT LAND US. AT
AT ITS LESS SOPHISTICATED LEVELS THE POPULATION
IS PROBABLY SOMEWHAT PRECONDITIONED BY THE TSO I CASE AS TO WHAT
TO EXPECT THOUGH TOTALLY OPPOSED TO IT. ABOLITION WOULD HIT
HARDEST AT THOSE CONCERNED WITH THE PRINCIPLE OF U.K. INTERFERENCE
IN WHAT THEY FEEL IS ESSENTIALLY A HONG KONG AFFAIR THIS MEANS
THE ESTABLISHMENT AND THE CHINESE PRESS. THESE ELEMENTS ARE
WELL PLACED TO WORK ON THE POPULATION.
AMOUNT TO MORE THAN A WEEK'S WONDER.
SOME RESIGNATIONS FROM EX-CO AND LEG-CO. MY OWN POSITION WOULD
BE SHAKEN. THE SHOCK TO POLICE MORALE WOULD BE CONSIDERABLE,
MURDERS WOULD CONTINUE, AND EACH ONE COULD BE AN EXCUSE FOR A
FURTHER OUTCRY ALONG THE LINES ''BUT FOR THE BRITISH MY SON
WOULD NOT HAVE DIED''. IF CRIME AND IN PARTICULAR MURDER DECLINED
THE AGITATION WOULD DIE A NATURAL DEATH, BUT IF IT INCREASED
WE WOULD NOT HAVE A LEG TO STAND ON.
7.
IT WOULD CERTAINLY
THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE
THESE RISKS ARE WORTH A CONSIDERABLE EFFORT TO AVOID.
THEREFORE COULD NOT THIS ISSUE SOMEHOW BE TAKEN OUT OF THE
POLITICAL ARENA IN THE U.K. AND VIEWED ON AN OBJECTIVE ASSESS-
MENT OF WHAT IS RIGHT FOR HONG KONG?
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