pa.
Opments
polls,
027.77 MDHOAN 3899
CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1584
OF 061732Z NOVEMBER 92
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, WASHINGTON
FOR INFORMATION COORDINATOR FROM SAUNDERS, HKD
YOUR TELN 2634: PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR GOVERNOR'S POLITICAL REFORM
1.
MANY THANKS FOR SENDING US THIS MOST INTERESTING AND, AS YOU SAY, ENCOURAGING OPINION POLL. IT WILL BE USEFUL BACKUP TO THE MATERIAL WE ARE PREPARING FOR DISCUSSION DURING THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT.
2.
ONE REPLY STRUCK US AS A LITTLE ODD AT FIRST SIGHT, NAMELY Q7 (B). PRESUMABLY THE REASON FOR THE REMARKABLY HIGH NUMBER OF PEOPLE (83 PERCENT) WHO WOULD NOT BE CONCERNED IF CHINA WERE TO THREATEN TO TAKE OVER HONG KONG BEFORE 1997 IS THAT THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THE THREAT? BY CONTRAST, THE RELATIVELY HIGH CONCERN (42 PERCENT) OVER THE THREAT TO BRING IN A NEW LEGCO IN 1997 IS PRESUMABLY BECAUSE THEY CONSIDER THAT MOST LIKELY?
3 WE NOTE THAT THE QUESTION FOR WHICH THERE IS BY FAR THE
■
HIGHEST * NO OPINION'' RATING (40 PERCENT) IS THE ONE ABOUT THE RECENTLY PUBLISHED EXCHANGE OF MESSAGES. EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE SCORE FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT THINK THE BRITISH SIDE WERE NEGOTIATING IN THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG. I SUPPOSE YOU COULD CALL THAT A TRIUMPH OF ESTABLISHED CONVICTION OVER INCONCLUSIVE
EVIDENCE EXCLAM.
HURD
YYYY
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