UNCLASSIFIED
126213
MDTTAN 8323
PROPOSALS VIOLATES THE LETTER OF CHINA'S BASIC LAW... AND THAT THE DEMOCRATIC NUANCES HE WANTS FOSTERED MAY BE JUST ENOUGH TO WARD OFF PRO-DEMOCRATIC DEMONSTRATIONS IN THE STREET. THE TEST IN HONG KONG IS WHETHER THE PRO-DEMOCRACY ADVOCATES ACCEPT THAT MR PATTEN'S PROPOSALS ARE AS MUCH AS BEIJING IS EVER LIKELY TO ACCEPT OR WHETHER THIS CONCESSION WILL WHET AN APPETITE FOR MORE ''
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4 THE CT LEADER, HONG KONG GETS A MAN WITH COURAGE' WAS CRITICAL OF WHAT IT REGARDED AS 'THE SORRY PROCESS OF BRITAIN'S HANDING BACK OF HONG KONG TO CHINA AND COMMENTED THAT ''BRITISH COMPLACENCY AND CHINESE AUTHORITY HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED BY THE NEW, AND LAST, GOVERNOR.'' IT ARGUED THAT RATHER THAN ''CONFINING HONG KONG'S POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE STRAIT-JACKET OF THE BASIC LAW'' AS CLAIMED BY MR MARTIN LEE, ''MR PATTEN IS STRETCHING IT TO ITS LIMITS AND IN SO DOING 'IS TAKING A HUGE RISK''. IT CONCLUDED THAT ''MR PATTEN'S PLAN TO ENHANCE AND PRESERVE HONG KONG'S WAY OF LIFE MAY NOT SURVIVE BUT AT LEAST HE
IS TRYING''
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5 SELECTED ARTICLES ARE BEING FAXED TO HKD AND TO HONG KONG.
SIGNED. .MAC EASTBURN
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