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TO PRIORITY PEKING
TELNO 1391
OF 261145Z NOVEMBER 91
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
CHINESE ATTITUDES TO LEGCO
འ .
SIR ADRIAN SWIRE TELEPHONED THE DEPARTMENT ON 26 NOVEMBER SAY THAT THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR HAD JUST TAKEN THE INITIATIVE TO TELPHONE HIM: THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT HE HAD EVER DONE So.
2.
SWIRE SAID THAT MA STARTED BY TAKING SOME OF THE CREDIT FOR THE AGREEMENT IN THE UK/PRC AIR SERVICE TALKS HERE LAST WEEK TO INCREASE THE FREQUENCY OF DRAGONAIR FLIGHTS TO CHINA COUR TELNO 1370). THEY ALSO DISCUSSED THE HONG KONG ASA PROBLEM, ON WHICH MA SET OUT AGAIN HIS VIEW THAT THIS ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEMS FACING THE JLG, AND URGED SIR A SWIRE DURING HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG NEXT WEEK TO DISCUSS CATHAY'S CONCERNS WITH ZHOU NAN.
3. SWIRE SAID THAT THE AMBASSADOR'S REAL POINT WAS TO UNDERLINE CHINESE ANXIETIES ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS IN LEGCO. MA SAID THAT SOME PEOPLE IN THE PRESS AND IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT APPEARED TO WANT TO CHANGE LEGCO FROM AN ADVISORY BODY INTO A REAL POLITICAL FORCE. THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND IF PURSUED WOULD HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR HONG KONG. THERE WAS MORE IN THE SAME VEIN.
4. SIR A SWIRE COMMENTED THAT THE AMBASSADOR WAS EVIDENTLY CONDUCTING SOMETHING OF A CAMPAIGN TO REGISTER CHINESE VIEWS TO A WIDER AUDIENCE IN LONDON.
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