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Ricketts
Mr Mom's
2
Chi reactions
RESTRICTED
FM CANBERRA
TO TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER NFR
OF 200401Z NOVEMBER 92
AND TO TELELETTER HONG KONG, PEKING
FROM: D G BLUNT,
TO:
CC:
HKD, FCO
CANBERRA
TCF FLEAR ESQ MVO, SPD, FCO
DPA HONG KONG
CHANCERY PEKING
HKC 012/4
MY TELELETTER OF 16 NOVEMBER: AUSTRALIA-HONG KONG
SUMMARY
DFAT NOT OVER-EXERCISED BY NCNA'S WARNING TO AUSTRALIA TO STEER
CLEAR OF COMMENTS ON HONG KONG
1.
DETAIL
2.
DEVELOPMENTS.
THE PRESS HERE HAS REPORTED THAT NCNA HAVE RELAYED TO THE AUSTRALIAN CONSUL-GENERAL IN HONG KONG, VIA THE AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THAT ''AUSTRALIA WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO CONSIDER ITS PLACE IN ASIA AND CONTINUE TO DEVELOP GOOD RELATIONS THERE BEFORE
TRYING TO IMPOSE ITS IDEAS ON REGIONAL COUNTRIES.'' THIS IS A FURTHER RESPONSE TO SENATOR EVANS'S SUPPORTIVE COMMENTS ON THE
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS FOR STRENGTHENING DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURES IN HONG KONG (TLUR).
3. DFAT ARE NOT OVER-EXERCISED BY NCNA'S MESSAGE. THEY NOTED THAT THE MESSAGE WAS NOT DELIVERED DIRECT, BUT VIA THE AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN HONG KONG, AND SEE THIS AS A FURTHER REFLECTION OF BOTH CHINESE ATTEMPTS TO INFLUENCE PUBLIC OPINION IN
HONG KONG ABOUT DEMOCRATIC REFORM AND OF THE WILLINGNESS OF SOME
GROUPS OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG (IN THIS CASE THE AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE) TO BE SEEN TO BE DOING THE RIGHT THING BY CHINA.
4.
DFAT ALSO MADE CLEAR THAT THEY HAD BRIEFED SENATOR EVANS TO BE
ROBUSTLY SUPPORTIVE IN PUBLIC ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS, BUT THAT THE LINE HE HAD TAKEN HAD BEEN A LITTLE (THOUGH NOT MUCH)
STRONGER THAN THAT RECOMMENDED. I SAID WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR
AUSTRALIAN SUPPORT.