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FM HONG KONG 19014OZ AUG 83
TO PRIORITY FCO
SEORET
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1232 OS 19 AUGUST
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE
MKK040/2
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
? 5 AUG 1983
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1. SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST (SCMP) FRONT PAGE LEAD ON 18 AUGUST WAS A REPORT BY SARAH MONKS, THE NEWS EDITOR, TO THE EFFECT THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WERE OPPOSED TO EXCO'S BEING BRIEFED BY THE GOVERNOR ON THE TALKS. IT IS APPARENT FROM THIS STORY THAT MASS MONK'S CONTACTS IN THE LOCAL LEFT WING PRESS PLANTED THE IDEA IN HER MIND USING MORE EXACTLY THE SAME TERMS AS YAO GUANG USED IN THE NEGOTIATIONS ON 2/3 AUGUST. AS A RESULT, SHE FILED QUESTIONS WITH GIS. IN ANSWERING THEM, WE TOOK THE LINE THAT THE GOVERNOR WAS REQUIRED BY THE TERMS OF THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS TO CONSULT EXCO ON ALL IMPORTANT MATTERS RELATING TO HONG KONG. THIS REQUIREMENT WAS PUBLIC AND KNOWN TO ALL.
2. THIS APPEARS TO BE YET ANOTHER STRAND IN THE CAMPAIGN TO PILE ON THE PRESSURE DURING THE RECESS. OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST FROM THE PRESS ON 18 AUGUST ARE BEING REPORTED SEPARATELY IN THE NORMAL PRESS COVERAGE SERIES.
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FUTURE OF HONG KONG
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