CONFIDENTIAL
AKU OGI /\
- 8 AUG 1991
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1430
OF 02160OZ AUG 91
OFFICER
UKR
(43)
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, UKREPJLG HONG KONG
44
46
151236
TOP COPY MDHOAN 8296
Q DIST ?
15
YOUR TELNOS 2433 AND 2434 AND WASHINGTON TELNO 1989:
CONFERENCE OF CHINESE STUDENT FEDERATIONS
1. A TEMPORARY AND RATHER JUNIOR MEMBER OF THE US EMBASSY'S POLITICAL SECTION (BURROWS) TODAY MADE A DEMARCHE TO HKD
IDENTICAL TO THAT IN YOUR SECOND TUR. HE DID SO IN LOW-KEY AND HAD NOTHING TO ADD EXCEPT, ON A PERSONAL BASIS, THE THOUGHT THAT CONGRESSIONAL OPINION WAS THE MAIN REASON FOR IT.
2.
COX SAID THAT HE WAS SURPRISED AT THE FORMALITY OF THE DEMARCHE. WE APPRECIATED US INTERESTS IN, AND SUPPORT FOR, HONG KONG AND WERE ALWAYS
HAPPY TO DISCUSS DEVELOPMENTS. IMMIGRATION POLICY WAS A MATTER FOR HKG, BUT WE WERE AWARE OF THIS CONFERENCE AND AGREED WITH HKG'S HANDLING OF IT. THEY ACTED ACCORDING TO THEIR WELL-KNOWN
AND LONG-STANDING POLICY OF PROTECTING HONG KONG PEOPLE'S RIGHTS
TO FREE SPEECH AND ASSEMBLY AND OF NOT LETTING HONG KONG BECOME A THEATRE FOR OUTSIDERS' POLITICAL BATTLES.
3. COX ADDED ON A PERSONAL BASIS THAT IN HONG KONG'S SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES WE SOMETIMES HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN, ON THE ONE HAND, MAKING GESTURES OR STRIKING POSES WHICH WOULD COME TO AN ABRUPT HALT IN 1997 AND, ON THE OTHER, FOLLOWING A SENSITIVE POLICY WHICH COULD HELP PRESERVE HONG KONG PEOPLE'S RIGHTS AND
FREEDOMS THEREAFTER.
COMMENT
4. DONOHUE'S ZEAL (YOUR FIRST TUR) MAY HAVE BEEN PARTLY A
PERSONAL EXCESS. WE SEE NO NEED FOR THE ACTING POLITICAL
ADVISER TO REVERT TO HIM BUT HAVE NO OBJECTION TO HIS DOING SO. IN ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION WE AGREE THAT BRADLEY SHOULD PROVIDE NO
FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE LEVEL OR PROCESS OF
DECISION-MAKING. IT IS PERHAPS ALSO BEST TO AVOID ELABORATING
ON THE GENERAL QUESTION OF UNDERTAKINGS TO THE CHINESE ABOUT SUCH MATTERS. INSTEAD BRADLEY COULD STRESS THAT THE DECISION
WAS HKG'S.