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Q DIT ?
HKB Oil
066063
MDHIAN 7542
FM HONG
KONG
TO DESKBY 12110OZ FCO
TELNO 632
OF 12103OZ FEBRUARY 88
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
(126)
PERSONAL FOR HUM, HKD, FROM GOVERNOR
YOUR TELNO 381: REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: WHITE PAPER
I WAS SORRY TO SEE THAT,
SEE THAT, DESPITE ALL YOUR EFFORTS, THE WHITE PAPER DID NOT RECEIVE A GOOD PRESS IN THE UK. TO A CERTAIN
EXTENT I SUPPOSE THIS WAS PREDICTABLE. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT MARTIN LEE'S MESSAGE HAS GONE DOWN VERY WELL WITH THE UK MEDIA, WHO DO NOT REALLY HAVE THE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE A MORE
ANALYTICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION IN HK.
2. WE ARE CONSIDERING OURSELVES WHAT WE CAN DO IMMEDIATELY AND IN THE LONGER TERM TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM. TWO MAIN AREAS ARE
LIKELY TO BE INCREASED BRIEFING OF THE UK PRESS BY THE HKGO LONDON, AND INCREASED USE OF UNOFFICIALS TO MEET THE MEDIA WHEN THEY ARE IN THE UK. WE SHALL OF COURSE CONTINUE TO USE MYSELF AND OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FOR THIS PURPOSE WHEN THIS IS POSSIBLE, BUT WE REALISE THE LIMITED EFFECT OF THIS.
3. I WAS CONCERNED BY YOUR JUDGEMENT THAT THERE IS NO LONGER
ANY PARLIAMENTARY CONSENSUS ON HK. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW
IF THIS ASSESSMENT HOLDS GOOD AFTER THE IMMEDIATE DUST HAS SETTLED.
I ACCEPT THAT HMG'S POLICY WILL IN FUTURE COME UNDER CLOSER SCRUTINY BY THE OPPOSITION. HOWEVER, OUR IMPRESSION HERE TODAY IS THAT THE OPPOSITION HAVE DECIDED NOT TO PURSUE THE QUESTION
OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988. IN THE SHORT TERM, AT LEAST, THIS WOULD CERTAINLY BE HELPFUL.
4. I ENTIRELY AGREE THAT WE CAN EXPECT MEDIA AND PARLIAMENTARY
INTERESST TO FOCUS NEXT ON THE PUBLICATION OF THE DRAFT BASIC LAW, AND THAT THIS LIKELY TO BE MARTINE LEE'S NEXT CAMPAIGN. I ALSO
AGREE THAT IT FOLLOWS FROM THIS THAT OUR FORTHCOMING EXCHANGES
WITH THE CHINESE ON THE FIRST SARG ACQUIRE EVEN GREATER SIGNIFICANCE
AND THAT WE MUST PUT A PAPER TO THEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE
ARE DRAFTING SUCH A PAPER NOW AND WILL DISCUSS THIS AT AN INTERNAL
MEETING ON 16 FEBRUARY. WE WILL AIM TO TELEGRAPH A DRAFT TO YOU
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THEREAFTER.
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