GR 300
SECRET
DESKBY 06103OZ
FM HONG KONG 06093OZ FEB 84
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
SECRET
TELEGRAM NUMBER 291 OF 6 FEBRUARY
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
19
YOUR TELNO 166 AND MY TELNO 254
HICK 011/3
SEURT, ED IN DE FISTAY - 7 FEB 1984
22
INDEX
No
Его
PEGISTRY
tion Taken
KEB
CONSITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG
1. MR LUCE'S WRITTEN REPLIES TO MR PARRY ON 31 JANUARY HAVE UNFORTUNATELY BEEN MISINTERPRETED IN PARTS OF THE PRESS HERE. SOME ENGLISH LANGUAGE REPORTS AND REPORTS IN CHINESE PAPERS WITH A WIDE CIRCULATION HAVE CARRIED HEADLINES TO THE EFFECT THAT MR LUCE REJECTED THE IDEA OF CHANGE IN THE POLITICAL SYSTEM (QUOTE LUCE SAYS 'NO' TO CHANGE UNQUOTE). EVEN THE MORE CAUTIOUS INTERPRETERS SAID THAT HE INDICATED NO CHANGE AT LEAST FOR THE
PRESENT.
2. IT WOULD BE AS WELL TO CORRECT THIS IMPRESSION. WE SHOULD NOT LET IT APPEAR THAT THE CHINESE ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT DEMOCRACY THAN HMG. NOR SHOULD IT APPEAR THAT HMG IS LESS ENTHUSIASTIC THAN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. (THE SUGGESTIONS BY MISS DUNN AND OTHERS THAT ELECTIONS TO LEGCO WOULD BE A LOGICAL DEVELOPMENT IN DUE COURSE
HAVE GONE DOWN WELL HERE).
3. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I MAY HAVE A CHANCE TO COMMENT ON A PUBLIC OCCASION TOMORROW. IF THIS OCCURS I SUGGEST THAT I SHOULD SAY (IF ASKED ABOUT MY SUCCESSOR) QUOTE IT IS NOT FOR ME TO COMMENT ON A CHOICE OF MY SUCCESSOR BUT I WILL SAY THIS. THERE HAS
CLEARLY BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING IN THE PRESS HERE OF WHAT WAS SAID RECENTLY BY MINISTERS IN REPLIES TO PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS. THERE IS NO QUESTION OF HMG OR THE HK GOVERNMENT BEING OPPOSED TO FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE IN HONG KONG. IT IS ONLY A QUESTION OF ENSURING THAT IT IS PROGRESSIVE, PROPERLY TIMED, AND TAKES ACCOUNT OF THE PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG
KONG. UNQUOTE.
4. GRATEFUL FOR COMMENTS BY 07013OZ.
YOUDE
LIMITED
HKD
FED
NEWS D CMR CLARKE)
MR DONALD
COPIES
то
SIR PERADOCK
K195
SECRET
(3.1)
See (32). See 34d
Page 120Page 121