CONFIDENTIAL
POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE
19. AS IMPORTANT AS THE RECENT REFORMS IS THE CHANGE IN ATMOSPHERE.
THE CLOSE INVOLVEMENT OF THE SENIOR UNOFFICIALS IN CONSULTATIONS
OVER THE FUTURE HAS GIVEN THEM NEW CONFIDENCE AND STATURE.
THE EFFECT OF THE REFORMS, THE PHYSICAL REMOVAL OF THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL FROM THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT BUILDING TO THE NEW COUNCIL
BUILDING, AND THIS WEK SENSE OF LEADERSHIP WILL RESULT IN A CLOSER
AND MORE PUBLIC SCRUTINY OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THE
MONTHS AHEAD. THE COMMUNITY HAS BECOME MORE POLITICALLY CONSCIOUS
IN RECENT YEARS. THE ELECTIONS HAVE ENCOURAGED MORE OPEN DISCUSSIONS
OF PUBLIC ISSUES. QUITE A NUMBER OF QUASI' POLITOAL GROUPS
ESSENTIALLY CONGREGATIONS OF OBSERVERS AND COMMENTATOPS, HAVE
DEVELOPED. MR RENTON CAN EXPECT TO HEAR A WIDE VARIETY OF
VIEWPOINTS AND ATTITUDES DUPING HIS VISIT.
REFERENCE MATERIAL
CHAPTER 3 OF THONG KONG 1985 AND THE WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG 1984 PROVIDE
USEFUL BACKGROUND READING ON THE CONTENTS OF THIS TELEGRAM.
YOUDE
LIMITED
HKD
FED
PS/HR RELITON
MR Wilso
Sir W. Навона
CONFIDENTIAL