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3.
AND THAT THIS WAS ''QUITE UNEQUIVOCAL, QUITE OPEN IN ITS SUPPORT FOR THIS PARTICULAR PACKAGE.''
IT
DFAT ALSO DREW MY ATTENTION TO COMMENTS BY MR GRIFFITHS, MINISTER FOR RESOURCES AND TOURISM, IN HONG KONG ON 2 NOVEMBER WHEN HE SAID THAT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT'S APPROACH WAS THAT ... THE BROAD APPROACH OF CHRIS PATTEN IS TO BE SUPPORTED .... WHERE THERE IS A CHOICE BETWEEN MOVES TO DEMOCRATISATION AND THE ALTERNATIVE, WE ARE ALWAYS IN THERE BARRACKING FOR THE FORMER.''
COMMENT
4. MEDIA AND OPPOSITION INTEREST HAS FOCUSED ON SENATOR EVANS'S JOKING OFF THE RECORD SUGGESTION WHILE IN HONG KONG THAT THE
GOVERNOR'S MISSING PUPPY MIGHT HAVE ENDED UP AS A CULINARY DELIGHT FOR DENG XIAOPING. THIS HAS OVERSHADOWED COVERAGE OF THE FOREIGN MINISTER'S SUPPORTIVE COMMENTS ON DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURES FOR THE TERRITORY. EVEN AIMING OFF FOR SENATOR EVANS'S FONDNESS FOR STRAIGHT TALKING, IT IS NOTABLE THAT HE HAS CHOSEN TO ALIGN AUSTRALIA SO
FIRMLY WITH BRITISH POLICY ON THIS ISSUE. HE NO DOUBT SPOKE FROM THE HEART, BUT IN SO DOING HAS IRRITATED THE CHINESE ON AN ISSUE OF ONLY SECONDARY IMPORTANCE TO DIRECT AUSTRALIAN INTERESTS AND AT A TIME
WHENTHE AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS DELEGATION TO CHINA MAY BE STRUGGLING WITH LESS THAN COOPERATIVE PIFA. ACCORDING TO THE PRESS, THE CHINESE MFA HAS DESCRIBED SENATOR EVAN'S SUPPORTIVE COMMENTS AS
"INAPPROPRIATE" AND ''IRRESPONSIBLE.'
5. HKD PLEASE PASS TO SPD.
SIGNED D G BLUNT
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