1
GR 250
RESTRICTED
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FM HONG KONG 260945Z AUG 83
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1265 OF 26 AUGUST
K
pazentry
fressive from the indepudent Parei für
for a higher profile approach by the Bital/Hell
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING, WASHINGTON (FOR HK GOVT REP), CG NEW YORK (FOR HK GOVT REP), BRUSSELS (FOR HK GOVT REP), UKMIS GENEVA (FOR HK GOVT REP
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE
W 195
1. THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND SEVERAL CHINESE LANGUAGE NEWSPAPERS REPORTED REMARKS BY URBAN COUNCILLOR MRS ELSIE ELLIOTT AT A ROTARY CLUB LUNCHEON YESTERDAY.
2. MRS ELLIOTT ATTACKED THOSE WHO SOUGHT THE PRESERVATION OF HONG KONG'S COLON HAL STATUS IN ANY FORM. SHE SAID THAT ONLY THOSE PEOPLE AT THE GRASSROOTS COULD TRULY REPRESENT THE HONG KONG PEOPLE, NEITHER THE GOVERNOR NOR MEMBERS OF EXCO OR LEGCO COULD DO SO. SHE BELIEVED THERE COULD BE CHANGES FOR THE BETTER UNDER CHINESE RULE, MOSTLY ON LAW AND ORDER: THE CHINESE HAVE A MUCH STRONGER SENSE OF LAW AND ORDER, AND THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW CRIMES LIKE THOSE IN HONG KONG''
·
3. COVERAGE OF MRS ELLIOTT'S REMARKS WERE WIDELY REPORTED IN THE INDEPENDENT PRESS. IN ADDITION, THE WEN WET PO (COMMUNIST) QUOTED HER ASSERTION THAT THE GOVERNOR COULD NOT REPRESENT HONG KONG PEOPLE IN THE SINO/BRITISH TALKS BECAUSE HE WAS RESPONSIBLE TO THE QUEEN AND WAS APPOINTED BY BRITAIN, NOT ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE
OF HONG KONG.
4. OTHER PRESS STORIES HAVE ALSO FOCUSSED ON THE ISSUE OF
PUBLIC OPINION. THE ORIENTAL DAILY INDEPENDENT FOR EXAMPLE, ARGUED THAT NONA DIRECTOR, XU JILATUN, HAD EMERGED AS A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MINORITY LEFT-WING ELEMENTS IN HONG KONG BUT HAD FAILED
TO WIN OVER THE SANDWICHED-CLASS OF PROFESSIONALS. BUT
NEWTHER DID THE BRITISH TRY TO WIN THEM OVER. THE BRITISH HAD DISPLAYED A SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS IN CONCENTRATING ITS EFFORTS TOWARDS THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PRESS. THE INDEPENDENT) ECONOMIC JOURNAL CALLED ON LOCAL PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS NOW BEFORE THEY WERE DENIED THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
HADDON - CAYE
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
MM MISD
2
side.
3.98
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PS
PS/LADY YOUNG
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
STR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD
MR WRIGHT
SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER MR BURROWS
MR MARTIN
MR FLOWER
MR COLES
LEGAL ADVISERS ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE
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SIR A PARSONS 11 MR. WALKER, MR ROBERTS NEWS D
11
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