GRS 250
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 171113Z OCT 84
TO PRIORITY F C O
ник
CONFIDENTIAL HKK 040/46°
TELEGRAM NUMBER 3237 OF 17 OCTOBER
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY: UMELCO.
19 OCT 1984
JAI
32k GR 22/10
그
WE HAVE JUST LEARNT THAT UMELCO HAS CONTRIBUTED HK DOLLARS 50,000 TOWARDS THE COST OF A PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY ON THE ACCEPTARILITY OF THE AGREEMENT WHICH IS NOW BEING CONDUCTED BY A PROFESSIONAL ORGANISATION, SURVEY RESEARCH, HONG KONG AND WHICH WILL BE CONCLUDED BEFORE 15 NOVEMBER. THE MONEY HAS COME FROM THE UMELCO VOTE FROM WHICH EXPENDITURE IS NOT SUBJECT TO SUPERVISION BY
THE ADMINISTRATION. THERE ARE SEVEN OTHER SPONSORING ORGANISATIONS, ALL FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WHICH HAVE ALSO CONTRIBUTED DOLLARS 50,000 APIECE.
2. THE PRIME PURPOSE OF THE SURVEY IS TO PRODUCE A READING OF
PUBLIC OPINION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE. THE DECISION
WHETHER TO PUBLISH THE FINDINGS RESTS WITH THE SPONSORS BUT THIS
IS UNLIKELY TO TAKE PLACE UNTIL AFTER THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE HAS
REPORTED ITS FINDINGS.
3. THE INVOLVEMENT OF UMELCO HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED IN LOW KEY BY SOME PAPERS BUT HAS NOT, TO DATE, BEEN THE SBUJECT OF ANY COMMENT. HOWEVER, THE FACT THAT PUBLIC FUNDS HAVE HELPED TO FINANCE THE SURVEY MAY TOUCH, ON CHINESE SENSITIVITIES AND BE SEEN BY SOME AS BEING INCONSISTENT WITH THE STANCE WE HAVE ADOPTED IN MONITORING REACTION TO THE AGREEMENT. IF QUESTIONED ABOUT THIS WE INTEND TO SAY THAT IT IS FOR UMELCO AND NOT THE ADMINISTRATION TO DECIDE ON EXPENDITURE ON ITEMS THAT FALL WITHIN THE AMBIT OF ITS VOTE,
THAT THE DECISION TO SPONSOR THE SURVEY WAS TAKEN BY UMELCO ACTING ON ITS OWN INITIATIVE AND THAT, ON SUCH FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT MATTERS AS THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, UMELCO HAS A RIGHT AND DUTY TO
ASCERTAIN THE STATE OF PUBLIC OPINION.
171
YOU DE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER) PS
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR W HARD ING
SIR J FREELAND MR BOYD
CONFIDENTIAL
COPIES TO:(VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
OFFICE
MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE
SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR P CRADOCK, ROOM K195