CONFIDENTIAL
100036
MDHI 1913
4.
THE PRIME MINISTER HAD A BUSY PROGRAMME. IMMEDIATELY AFTER ARRIVING ON THE AFTERNOON OF 4 SEPTEMBER HE VISITED THE HIGH ISLAND CAMP FOR VIETNAMESE DETAINEES AND HAD A BRIEF HELICOPTER TOUR OF THE TERRITORY. AT A DINNER WHICH I GAVE THAT EVENING HE MET BUSINESS AND POLITICAL LEADERS. ON 5 SEPTEMBER, HE AND YOU MET THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN THE MORNING. THE PRIME MINISTER AND MRS MAJOR THEN VISITED SHATIN NEW TOWN. HE GAVE A SPEECH AT A COMMUNITY LUNCH HOSTED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY AND, AFTER A TRIP ON THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY AND A VISIT TO THE CITY POLY-TECHNIC, HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE. IN ALL HIS PUBLIC APPEARANCES THE PRIME MINISTER IMPRESSED THOSE HE MET WITH HE GENUINE INTEREST AND WARM
PERSONALITY.
VISIT TO CHINA
5. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE SATISFACTION IN HONG KONG THE PRIME
MINISTER HAD MADE THE VISIT TO PEKING FOR HONG KONG'S SAKE. THE AIRPORT AGREEMENT HAS GREATLY IMPROVED THE MOOD HERE, ALTHOUGH NO ONE EXPECTS THE NEXT SIX YEARS TO BE TROUBLE FREE INSOFAR AS OUR DEALINGS WITH CHINA ARE CONCERNED. JLG ISSUES HAD NOT RECEIVED MUCH ATTENTION BEFORE THE VISIT. THERE WAS THUS ADDED
SATISFACTION THAT THE PRIME MINISTER WAS ABLE TO AGREE WITH LI PENG THAT JLG WORK SHOULD BE SPEEDED UP. THE SIX MONTHLY MEETINGS
BETWEEN YOU AND CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER ARE SEEN AS PROVIDING SOME ASSURANCE THAT THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE PUT INTO PRACTICE.
AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE ON THE EARLY ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COURT OF
FINAL APPEAL WAS ALSO WELCOMED.
6 =
AN EDITORIAL BY THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ON THE DAY OF
THE PRIME MINISTER'S ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG PROBABLY SUMMED UP THE
PUBLIC REACTION ACCURATELY. IT DESCRIBED THE AIRPORT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AS A CONSIDERABLE ACHIEVEMENT AFTER NINE MONTHS OF GRUELLING NEGOTIATIONS, AND A TESTIMONY TO UNFLAGGING DETERMINATION TO TURN A POLITICAL STRATEGY INTO REALITY. IT QUOTED THE ALTERNATIVES WHICH THE PRIME MINISTER HIMSELF
MENTIONED FOR DEALING WITH CHINA: ARMCHAIR DENUNCIATION OR DIRECT TALKS. IT CONCLUDED THAT HONG KONG COULD ONLY APPLAUD THE PRIME MINISTER'S DECISION TO HAVE DIRECT TALKS, AND THE POSITIVE RESULTS WHICH HE ACHIEVED.
VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS
7.
THE PRIME MINISTER'S PROGRAMME PROVISIONALLY HAD HALF AN HOUR SET ASIDE FOR THE HIGH ISLAND VISIT. BUT IN THE EVENT HE AND
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