ARPADS
CONFIDENTIAL
CALLS ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND LORD GLENARTHUR BY
MISS LYDIA DUNN 19 JANUARY 1988
POINTS TO MAKE
Representative Government
1.
Thank you for making time to come to London. Important that
Parliament and the media should not gain the impression that Mr
Lee's views are representative of opinion in Hong Kong generally.
2. Your meetings with the press, Mr Kaufman and the British- Hong
Kong Parliamentary Group are therefore very important.
MPs and the press can be made to appreciate:
3.
Hope that
our genuine commitment to development of representative government in Hong Kong, but at a pace which serves Hong
Kong's best long term interests and which respects views of
whole community;
the historical and political realities: most people in Hong
Kong understand the need to follow a course which takes
account of the Chinese dimension. Best action for Hong
Kong's future lies in carrying China along with the changes
we are making. Confrontation with China over such changes would be most damaging.
HMG has complete confidence in the administration in Hong
Kong. The Hong Kong Government's handling of recent events,
particularly those surrounding the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, most impressive: swift and decisive action will have done
much to maintain internal confidence in Hong Kong as a major
financial centre.
Your view of current state of opinion in Hong Kong? How will
decision to introduce direct elections in 1991 be received?
DEFENSIVE ONLY
Defence Costs Agreement
Well aware of strength of feeling in Hong Kong on this issue,
but there are serious budgetary constraints on our side too.
4.
CONFIDENTIAL