CONFIDENTIAL
27
012605
MDHIAN 3676
ра
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2955
OF 2404O9Z DECEMBER 92
р
29/12
INFO IMMEDIATE SINGAPORE, PEKING, WASHINGTON, UKREP JLG HONG KONG INFO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG
19
20
21
25
MY TELNOS 2940 AND 2941, YRTELNO 1758 AND SINGAPORE TELNO 352: LEE KUAN YEW'S VIEWS ON HONG KONG AND CHINA
1. THE POLITICAL ADVISER CALLED IN THE SINGAPORE COMMISSIONER ON 24 DECEMBER AND GAVE HIM MY LETTER TO TRANSMIT TO LEE KUAN YEW.
2. EHRMAN SAID THAT THE SENIOR MINISTER'S REMARKS HAD CAUSED US CONCERN. IT WAS NOT THE CASE THAT MY PROPOSALS HAD BEEN DRAWN UP IN CONSULTATION WITH THE AMERICANS OR DESIGNED IN LONDON BEFORE MY ARRIVAL. SOME CHINESE LEADERS DID UNFORTUNATELY HARBOUR SUCH VIEWS BUT THEY WERE QUITE WRONG. ANYTHING FRIENDS OF HONG KONG COULD DO DO DISABUSE THEM OF THESE NOTIONS WOULD BE HELPFUL. EHRMAN INFORMED SEOW OF THE LINE WHICH THE FCO HAD USED WITH THE PRESS. HE SAID THAT WE WERE NOT PLANNING TO RELEASE MY LETTER OR TO PLAY UP THIS QUESTION. BUT WE DID WISH TO PLACE OUR CONCERN ON RECORD WITH THE SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT.
3. SEOW INTERESTINGLY MADE NO ATTEMPT TO DEFEND LEE'S REMARKS. HE SIMPLY UNDERTOOK TO TRANSMIT THE LETTER IMMEDIATELY.
PATTEN
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
70
.HK
POLICY
HKD
SEAD
PUSD
FED
LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT
DISTRIBUTION
75
HKD 021/9
PAGE
PLANNERS
RAD
PS
PS/MR GOODLAD
SIR J COLES
MR APPLEYARD
1
CONFIDENTIAL