CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 011/3
193
052065 MDHIAN 7398
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 20090OZ FCO
TELNO 942
OF 20053OZ MARCH 89
.188
PERSONAL FOR MCKAREN, AUSS FROM GOVERNOR
YOUR TELNO 695: FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
OP Q DIS
I MENTIONED TO YOU, WHEN YOU PASSED THROUGH HONG KONG OVER THE WEEKEND, MY CONCERN THAT THE FAC DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE HOISTED ONBOARD FULLY EITHER THE SENSITIVITY ABOUT DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW OR THE NATURE OF MY OWN POSITION.
2. I HAVE RECEIVED, THROUGH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE IN LONDON, A LIST OF THE QUESTIONS PREPARED FOR MY OWN SESSION WITH THE FAC ON 22 MARCH. THIS CONTAINS A NUMBER OF DETAILED QUESTIONS ON THE BASIC LAW. IT ALSO ASKS ME TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL GROUPINGS IN HONG KONG.
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5. ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL GROUPINGS IN HONG KONG, I AM LEFT WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT THE DRAFTERS SEE ME AS AN OUTSIDE OBSERVER, RATHER LIKE A BRITISH AMBASADOR IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THEY COULD REALISE THAT I AM AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SYSTEM. MOST OF THE POLITICAL GROUPS WHICH HAVE BEEN GROWING UP OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE, AS AT LEAST PART OF THEIR OBJECTIVE, PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE ADMINISTRATION WHICH I HEAD. IT IS THEREFORE
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THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN
CLOSED UNDER
FOI EXEMPTION NO. 27.(!.)..