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007617
MDHIAN 3542
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FM SINGAPORE
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 352
OF 230752Z DECEMBER 92
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, WASHINGTON
INFO PRIORITY JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
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TOP COPY
YOUR TELNO 1758 TO HONG KONG: LEE KUAN YEW'S VIEWS ON HONG KONG AND
CHINA
1. AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE GOVERNOR AND IN VIEW OF THE IMMINENT HOLIDAY PERIOD, I HAVE TODAY SENT LEE KUAN YEW, UNDER COVER OF A BRIEF NOTE, THE TEXT OF MR PATTEN'S PRIVATE AND PERSONAL MESSAGE CHONG KONG TELNO 2941).
2.
MEDIA INTEREST HERE IN OUR DISAGREEMENT WITH LEE KUAN YEW IS BUILDING, FOLLOWING THE REUTERS REPORT AND DRAWING ON HONG KONG MEDIA COMMENT ABOUT IMMINENT BRITISH PROTESTS. AS PREVIOUSLY INDICATED, I SEE NO POINT IN ENTERING INTO A PUBLIC DEBATE WITH LEE IN HIS OWN BACKYARD. IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO AVOID GETTING DRAWN INTO OPEN CRITICISM OF HIM AND THAT WOULD NOT HELP WHEN OUR PURPOSE IS DAMAGE-LIMITATION, NOT TO FUEL HIS ERRONEOUS THEORIES. WE HAVE NO INTEREST, AS MR PATTEN CONFIRMED TO ME, IN 'WHOOPING IT UP'. HAVE, THEREFORE, DODGED AN INVITATION TO GIVE AN SBC TELEVISION NEWS INTERVIEW AND WE ARE CONFINING OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS STRICTLY TO THE NEWS DEPARTMENT LINE, REFERRING MORE PERSISTENT ENQUIRERS TO NEWS DEPARTMENT.
3.
I AM CONTINUING, HOWEVER, TO SAY CLEARLY IN PRIVATE EXCHANGES (NO-ONE WANTS TO DISCUSS ANYTHING ELSE) THAT THE CONSPIRACY CONCEPT IS NONSENSE, AND THAT PROPAGATING IT IS PARTICULARLY UNHELPFUL TO THE GOVERNOR, TO HONG KONG AND IN ENSURING CALMER THINKING IN PEKING: THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF SYMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING FOR THIS LINE.
DUGGAN
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