RESTRICTED
4. THE COMMUNIST PRESS HAVE MAINTAINED THE RHYTHM OF HOSTILE EDITORIALS. THE NEW EVENING POST EDITORIAL ON 30 AUGUST CRITICISED
THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRAION'S REMARKS AT
THE HONG KONG WEEK SEMINAR. THE EDITORIAL SAID THAT THE EFFECTIVE OFPERATION OF HONG KONG'S ADMINISTRATION WAS NOT MN THE LEAST DEPENDENT ON ADMINISTRATIVE THES WITH BRITAIN. MR. AKERS-JONES, HAD, HOWEVER, FORGOTTEN TO MENTION THAT THE GOVERNOR TOOK AN OATH OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE QUEEN BEFORE ASSUMING HIS OFFICE. BT WAS THEREFORE CLEAR WHERE THE GOVERNOR'S ALLEGIANCE LAY. THE GREATEST STUMBLING BLOCK TO OPEN GOVERNMENT WAS THE OUT-DATED COLONNAL SYSTEM AND BRITAIN'S ''REMOTE CONTROL'' MUST BE SHAKEN OFF. THE WEN WE: PO EDITORIAL ON 31 AUGUST AGAIN ATTACKED THE REMARKS BY TWO VISITING LABOUR MP'SN, DORMAND AND CALLAGHAN ABOUT THE TREATIES. SUCH REMARKS ONLY REVEALED A COLONIAL NATURE AND IGNORANCE OF REALITY. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT FOR THE VALIDITY OF THE THREE TREATIES IN LOCAL NEWSPAPERS OR OTHER EXPRESSIONS OF PUBLIC OPINION. THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG BELIEVED THAT SOVEREIGNTY RIGHTLY BELONGED TO
CHINA AND THEIR WORRIES WERE ABOUT HOW TO MAINTAIN PROSPERITY AND STABILITY TO THE TRANSITION PERHOD TO THE RECOVERY OF SOVEREIGNTY BY CHINA.
HADDON-CAVE
(REPEATED AS REQUESTED)
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
120:MMMEND
COPIES TO:
THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT
ADVANCED
ED/EKD
SIR I SINCLAIR
FED
MR BURROWS
ED/PLANNING STAFF
MR MARTIN
ED/PUSD
PS
MR FLOWER
PS/LADY YOUNG
MR. COLES
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD
MR WRIGHT
LEGAL ADVISER LEGAL ADVISERS ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE
PUSD
NO 10 DOWNING ST
STR A PARSONS
11
1
MR WALKER. RESEARCH DEPT
MR ROBERTS
NEWS D
GOGGS
J
RESTRICTED