MARTIN REDMOND,
M.P.
X
1. Anke
2-
HKD for
в
dunfl reply from
M. Goodland by 14/12 pl.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
LONDON SW1A OAA
Rt. Hon. Douglas Hurd, C.B.E., M.P., The Secretary of State,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
Whitehall,
London,
S.W.1A 2AH.
Dear
Douglas,
Ps/Mr. Goodland
Sir J cores
Mr. Hum
1st. December, 1992
WH
7/12
Spenal Ads
FED
सिंह
to the Llewelyn, Hong Kong
Som de fax
Br Bonni's Roms
Mirs
Tary
13/14 Godlagtraps alpacked. Med 16/12
сне
Chris
Not content with the Maastricht problem, the G.A.T.T. crisis, the recession and the miners' debacle (to say nothing of the impending Council Tax), your Department now seems hell-bent on creating yet another catastrophe - this time in Hong Kong. Patten, wet behind the ears as far as your Department is concerned, seeks to aggravate an already delicate situation between China and Hong Kong, by attempting to use strong-arm methods of diplomacy against the Communist regime.
To me, it seems obvious that he has yet to learn that the Eastern mind thinks more differently to ours and it will be only by very careful discussion and cajoling that the Chinese will even consider the new proposals. If there was ever any doubt about it, Governor Patten must surely now know that, in any negotiations with China, he must be prepared to make haste slowly. The clever and astute business community in Hong Kong that has created probably the world's most successful economy are now, I know, openly hostile to his views and fear the reprisals that clumsy political manoeuvring can bring.
So I feel you should advise Mr. Patten to back off, before yet another Government measure exacerbates a potentially volatile and dangerous situation, and you should inform him to take the sound advice of the native intelligentsia who can teach him a thing or two, before trouble brews over in Hong Kong.
기,
Yours sincerely,
Martin