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Hkn 30111
(141)
145561
MDHIAN 4266
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2454
OF 22050OZ JULY 89
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TOP COPY Q DIST?
FCO FOR RESIDENT CLERK PLEASE PASS TO NEWS DEPT
YOUR TELNO 747 TO PEKING: PEOPLE'S DAILY ARTICLE
1. WE HAVE FAXED TO FOOTMAN, HKD, A REPRINT OF THE PEOPLE'S DAILY ARTICLE IN TODAY'S TA KUNG PAO AND AN UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION PRINTED IN THIS MORNING'S HONG KONG STANDARD. SUPPLIES OF THE
PEOPLE'S DAILY ITSELF HAVE BEEN DISRUPTED RECENTLY AND FOR THE MOMENT WE CANNOT LAY OUR HANDS ON A COPY OF THE ORIGINAL. YOU
WILL SEE FROM THE FAXED ARTICLES HOWEVER THAT THE STORY IS TRUE. THE TWO LEGCO MEMBERS CRITICISED ARE VERY OBVIOUSLY MARTIN LEE
AND SZETO WAH DESPITE THEIR NOT ACTUALLY BEING NAMED.
2. WE DO NOT THINK WE SHOULD BECOME EMBROILED IN A DISCUSSION OF THIS ARTICLE AND SUGGEST THE A SIMPLE RESPONSE WOULD BE WISEST, ALONG THE LINES THAT THE ACTIVITIES OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE OF COURSE GOVERNED BY HONG KONG LAW. HONG KONG LAW DOES NOT LIMIT FREEDIM OF EXPRESSION WHICH IS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT AND ESSENTIAL PART OF HONG KONG'S SYSTEM.
3. THE ARTICLE ALSO REFERS TO DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT. AS A DEFENSIVE POINT YOU MAY WISH TO SAY THAT IN DEVELOPING HONG KONG'S
POLITICAL SYSTEM HMG AND HKG WILL OF COURSE TAKE FULL ACCOUNT OF THE VIEWS AND WISHES OF HONG KONG'S PEOPLE.
WILSON
YYYY
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