3. MOST INDEPENDENT AND CHINESE LANGUAGE NEWSPAPERS PUBLISHED
SNIPPETS OF INFORMATION GLEANED FROM THE DELEGATHON. THE EXPRESS
(RIGHT WING) QUOTED ONE MEMBER AS SAYING THAT HE HAD GAINED THE
HIMPRESSION THAT CHINA WOULD NOT ALLOW BRITISH PARTICIPATION MA
HONG KONG AFFAIRS AFTER 1997. ANOTHER MEMBER WAS REPORTED MN MING
PAO (INDEPENDENT) AS SAY:ING THAT ACCORDING TO MR. Lik HAO OF THE
HONG KONG AND MACAU OFFICE, BRITISH OFFICIALS WOULD BE ABLE TO REMAIN
HN HONG KONG AFTER 1997 IN THEIR PRIVATE CAPACITY AND AS ADVISORS.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE LOYAL TO THE SAR AND NOT TO THE BRITISH
GOVERNMENT.
4. EDITORIALS IN THE FINANCIAL DAILY (INDEPENDENT) AND THE EXPRESS
(RIGHT WING) AS WELL AS A COLUMNIST IN THE ORIENTAL DAILY (INDEPENDENT) ALL CAST DOUBTS ON THE VALIDITY OF CHINESE GUARANTEES
THAT HONG KONG'S WAY OF LIFE WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED FOR 50 YEARS.
THE EXPRESS SUGGESTED THAT THE SELF-RULE FORMULA WAS LITTLE MORE THAN
AN DEVICE TO ENABLE CHINA TO GET HITS HANDS ON HONG KONG. THE ORIENTAL DAILY COLUMNIST SAID THAT THE MAJORITY OF HONG KONG PEOPLE WISHED TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO BECAUSE BRITAIN COULD PROVIDE HONG KONG WITH GENUINE SELF-RULE WITHOUT HINTERFERENCE, AND HONG KONG
PEOPLE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT CHINA WOULD DO THE SAME.
5. THE LATEST EDITION OF THE FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW PUBLISHED A SPECULATIVE ARTICLE BY TERESA MA ASSERTING (WITHOUT CALIMING ANY SOURCES) THAT BRITAN HAD SOFTENED HITS INITIAL POSITION THAT A FORMAL ADMINISTRATIVE ROLE FOR BRITAIN POST 1997 WOULD BE NECESSARY IF STABILITY AND PROSPERITY WERE TO BE MAINTAINED. UNOFFICIALS ON EXCO, WHO HAD PRESSED BRITAIN HARD NOT TO MAKE CONCESSIONS, MIGHT NOW BE RECONSIDERING THEIR APPROACH. THE TWO SIDES HAD NOW AGREED TO COOPERATE IN DRAWING UP SCHEMES TO
STABILIZE HONG KONG UP TO 1997.
YOUDE
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
LIMITED
CH/CH
ED/FED
ED/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
D/HD/PUSD(MR FLOWER)
RESEARCH DEPT(MR WALKER)
LEGAL ADVISER (SIR IAN SINCLAIR)
PS
PS/LADY YOUNG
PSAR LUCE
PS/PUS
STR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD MR WRIGHT
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
INDUSTRY
COPIES TO:
(VIA ADR)
NEWS DEPT
MR ROBERTS
MR. BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR A PARSONS
MR MARTIN ASSESSMENT STAFF
CABINET OFFICE CABINET OFFICE
MR GOODALL MRBRENNAN .....
11
PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE
RS/ATTORNEY GENERAL
RESTRICTEDS/AT