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- It is not the case that the Governor's proposals for extending
democracy in Hong Kong were drawn up in consultation with the Americans or anyone else.
- We remain keen to discuss the proposals with the Chinese in
any forum they choose without pre-conditions.
-
There is no question of any Western conspiracy against China
involving Britain or Hong Kong. Unfounded fears of such a
conspiracy seem to be part of the reason for the harsh Chinese
reaction to the Governor's proposals. Anything which friends of
Hong Kong such as Singapore can do to disabuse the Chinese of
these notions of conspiracy and encirclement would be very
helpful not only for Hong Kong, but for the region as a whole.
5.
The Governor's telegram says that he would want, if asked,
to be able to say that we had raised this subject with the
Singapore High Commission in London. I recommend that, once you
have spoken to the High Commission, News Department should
therefore have discretion to say in answer to questions that:
In the light of a number of press reports, FCO officials had
taken the opportunity to place on record with the Singapore High
Commission that it was not the case that the Governor's
constitutional proposals had been discussed with any other countries while they were being developed, or that they formed part of any coordinated strategy towards China.
6. We should of course report to Singapore and Hong Kong once
we have taken action. I would also propose to say that we have
no objection to the Governor's proposal to write privately to
Lee Kuan Yew.
P F Ricketts
hk.tky.PET
SLM
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