CONFIDENTIAL
FM CANBERRA 24050OZ JAN 34
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
14)
TOP COPY
TELEGRAM NUMBER 36 OF 24 JANUARY
AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG (FOR GOVERNOR) PRIORITY PEKING
AUSTRALIAN PRESS COMMENTS ON HONG KONG
1. IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO BRIEF MR HANKE BEFORE HIS FORTHCOMING
VISIT TO CHINA, YOU MAY WISH TO BE AWARE OF THE MOST RECENTI
AUSTRALIAN PRESS COVERAGE OF HONG KONG.
MKK0406
2. THIS HAS BEEN MOSTLY IN THE FORM OF AGENCY REPORTS. AUSTRALTA
PAPERS HAVE FEATURED PROMINENTLY THREE REPORTS:-
A) THE PLAN ANNOUNCED BY JI PENG-FEI ON ABOUT 17 JANUARY
IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE MAGAZINE LIAOWANG'':
B) MURRAY SAYLE'S ARTICLE IN THE SUNDAY TIMES OF 21 JANUARY:
C) THE RECENT RIOTING AND TRANSPORT STRIKES IN HONG KONG.
CIVED IN MEDISTRY
1804
3. COMMENT IN LEADERS AND ORIGINAL ARTICLES HAS GENERALLY
WELCOMED JI'S STATEMENT: QUOTE..... IT INTRODUCES FOR THE FIRST
TIME SOME CONCRETE PROPOSALS.... IT IS FAR BETTER THAN SOME OF THE
POLITICAL RHETORIC FROM BOTH LONDON AND PEKING THAT HAS DONE
NOTHING TO ALLAY THE REAL FEARS THAT MANY HONG KONG RESIDENTS
HAVE......UNQUOTE SAYS THE CANBERRA TIMES OF 19 JANUARY, ADDING HOWEVER THAT QUOTE THERE WILL BE GRAVE DOUBTS UNQUOTE
ABOUT THE PLAN, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE LEGAL RIGHTS OF HONG KONG
RESIDENTS AGAINST A CHINESE ADMINISTRATION. THE AUSTRALIAN''
OF 19 JANUARY SAYS THAT QUOTE HONG KONG'S COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION
HAS FACED MOUNTING CALLS FOR GREATER DEMOCRACY SINCE CHINA
UNVEILED ITS MOST DETAILED BLUE-PRINT FOR THE TERRITORY.. UNQUOTE
AND THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD SAYS THAT QUOTE HONG KONG CITIZENS
ARE NOW DEMANDING BROADENED POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS AS THE ONLY
MEANS OF CREATING A VIABLE AUTONOMOUS GOVERNMENT FOR THE FUTURE. OTHER WISE, THEY SAY, PEKING OFFICIALS WILL HAVE TO
RUN THE COLONY'S AFFAIRS UNQUOTE. IN THE WAKE OF THE SAYLE
ARTICCLE, SEVERAL PAPERS MAKE THE ASSUMPTION THAT QUOTE
WHITEHALL HAS ABANDONED ANY HOPE OF NEGOTIATING AN EXTENSION
OF BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY BEYOND 1997. UNQUOTE (THE AUSTRALIAN). MASON
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
LIMITED
D/HKD
FD/FED
ED/PLANNING STAFF
D/PUSD
D/HD/PUSD (MR FLOWER)
RES.D. (MR WALKER)
LEGAL ADVISER (SIR IAN SINCLAIR
23
PS/LADY YOUNG
PS/R LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR J BULLARD
MR DONALD
MR WRIGHT
SIR C TICKELL
COPIES TO:
BUCKINGHAM PALACE
*
PS/LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
PS/HOME SECRETARY
PS/CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER
PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL
PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY
COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS
MR BURROWS
NEWS D
LEGAL ADVS
MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST
JRY
ion Take
of CAR
Толсто
Combine
MR MARTIN ASSESSMENT STAFF CABINET OFFICE
MR GOODALL
CABINET OFFICE
MR BRENNAN CABINET OFFICE PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE D PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL
SIR P CRADOCK RM K195 CONFIDENTIAL
See 18