GR 200
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FM HONG KONG 18894DZ NOV 82
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
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TELEGRAM NUMBER 1334 OF 18 NOVEMBER
FLAG F
Clift MrDandid
have symp
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING (PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR)
MY TELNO 1322
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
I with 1246
1. SIR S Y CHUNG CALLED ON ME TO SAY THAT, AT A RECENT PRIVATE MEETING AMONG EXCO UNOFFICIALS THERE WAS A STRONG FEELING THAT THEY WERE STILL NOT BEING TAKEN SUFFICIENTLY INTO OUR CONFIDENCE OVER THE TALKS WITH THE CHINESE, OR OVER THE ACTION NEEDED TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AT THIS CRUCIAL TIME. EITHER NOTHING WAS HAPPENING (IN WHICH CASE THEY CLEARLY THOUGHT THAT IT SHOULD BE) OR THEY WERE NOT BEING TOLD ABOUT IT (IN WHICH CASE THEY WONDERED WHY). THEY FELT A STRONG RESPONSIBILITY TO THE WIDER COMMUNITY. WHICH THEY WERE APPOINTED TO REPRESENT ON THESE ISSUES, AND WHATEVER THE OUTCOME THEY WOULD HAVE TO ANSWER BOTH TO THEIR OWN CONSCIENCES AND TO THE WIDER COMMUNITY FOR THE ADVICE WHICH THEY HAD SWORN UNDER OATH TO GIVE. HE NOTED THAT IF EXCO, WITH ITS UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, WAS NOT USED AS A FORUM THERE WAS NO OTHER CHANNEL THROUGH WHICH THE GOVERNOR AND HMG COULD TAKE ADVICE DIRECTLY AND CONFIDENTIALLY FROM HONG KONG CHINESE, WHOSE FUTURE IT IS WHICH IS AT STAKE.
2. HE SAID THAT SOME MEMBERS HAD REVIVED THE IDEA (WHICH WE SUCCESSFULLY SUPPRESSED EARLIER THIS YEAR) THAT THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS SHOULD FORM A SEPARATE GROUP OF THEIR OWN TO DEVELOP ADVICE ON POLICY TO ME AND HMG. INSTEAD HE PROPOSED THAT THERE SHOULD BE REGULAR DISCUSSIONS IN EXCO, AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE NORMAL AGENDA, AT WHICH I COULD BRING EXCO UP-TO-DATE ON DEVELOPMENTS 30TH IN THE TALKS AND IN HONG KONG, AND/OR UNOFFICIALS COULD ON THEIR OWN INITIATIVE OFFER COMMENT ON SUCH DEVELOPMENTS. ALTERNATIVELY, IF I FOUND EXCO TOO LARGE, I COULD MEET WITH THE UNOFFICIALS ONLY: OR I COULD SELECT A SMALLER GROUP OF EXCO UNOFFICIALS. WE AGREED THAT A SEPARATE UNOFFICIAL GROUP WOULD DE POLITICALLY DANGEROUS: IT WOULD GIVE THE IMPRESSION OF A POLARISATION OF VIEWS DETWEEN UNOFFICIALS AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. I ALSO TOLD HIM THAT I DID NOT BELIEVE IT EITHER PRACTICAL OR DESIRABLE TO CREATE GROUPS WITHIN EXCO.
3. THIS FEELING ON THE PART OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WILL HAVE TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. THEIR ANXIETIES ARE STIMULATED BY THE INTENSE CHINESE ACTIVITY SOTH IN PEKING AND HERE TO SPREAD THEIR LINE, ACTIVITY WHICH PRODUCES IN THE MEDIA A DAILY FARE OF REPORTING AND RUMOUR WITHOUT OVERT RESPONSE FROM US. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE THE CONFIDENCE OF THE UNOFFICIALS IN THE FACE OF THIS CAMPAIGN.
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