RESTRICTED
5. A NUMBER OF INDEPENDENT PAPERS, AS WELL AS THE PRO-KMT HONG
KONG TIMES, REPORTED THAT THE CIVIL SERVANTS GENERAL UNION
HAD MET CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH TO ASK THAT THE FUTURE OF THE
CIVIL SERVICE BE INCLUDED ON THE AGENDA FOR THE TALKS. THE REPORTS
SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD UNDERTAKEN TO REFLECT THEIR VIEWS
TO NEGOTIATORS WHO WOULD RAISE THE ISSUE AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME.
6. MOST INDEPENDENT PAPERS, BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE LANGUAGE, REPORTED THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE GOVERNOR WOULD VISIT THE UNITED STATES NEXT YEAR, AND NOTED THAT THE VISIT WILL COINCIDE WITH THAT OF PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE SOUTH
CHINA MORNING POST, MOST PAPERS ACCEPTED AT FACE VALUE THE
GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN'S ASSERTION THAT THIS WAS A COINCIDENCE.
THE SCMP QUOTED UNNAMED ''POLITICAL OBSERVERS AS SUGGESTING THAT
THE GOVERNOR MIGHT ''CHANGE HIS PLANS IF THE TALKS PROVED
DIFFICULT.
7. THE ECONOMIC JOURNAL (INDEPENDENT) PUBLISHED THE FOLLOW-UP
TO HTS EDITORIAL ON 24 NOVEMBER (SEE MY TELNO 1314): THE SECOND
PART WAS AS FAR FETCHED AS THE FIRST. IT SUGGESTED THAT, IN THE EVENT OF THE UNILATERAL CHINESE ANNOUNCEMENT BRITAIN, POSSIBLY WITH THE HELP OF COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES, MIGHT FIND WAYS OF
RESETTLING ANYONE IN HONG KONG WHO DID NOT WITH TO LIVE UNDER A
''BIG BROTHER'' REGIME. THIS MIGHT INVOLVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A
SMALL ISLAND IN THE IRISH SEA, NORTH SEA OR THE ENGLISH CHANNEL
FOR THE PURPOSE OF RESETTLEMENT (EXCLAM).
YOUDE
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
LIMITED
HD/HKD
ED/FED
ED/PUSD
COPIES TO: (VIA DISTR. ROOM)
SIR PHILIP MOORE BUCKINGHAM PALACE PS/LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL PS/HOME SECRETARY
PS/CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER
PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL
PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND
ED/PLANNING STAFF
D/HD/PUSD (MR FLOWER)
RESEARCH DEPT(MR WALKER)
LEGAL ADVISER (SIR IAN SINCLAIR)
PS
PS/LADY YOUNG
PSAR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD
MR WRIGHT
INDUSTRY
COPIES TO:
(VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS
NEWS DEPT
RESTRICTED
ME BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST
SIR A PARSONS
MR MARTIN
MR GOODALL
MR BRENNAN
11
ASSESSMENT STAFF
CABINET OFFICE CABINET OFFICE
19
PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE
PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL
HONG KONG GOUT.ORFICG LONDON
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