CONFIDENTIAL
177110 MDHOA 6231"
PRESIDENT TO THIS END.
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THIS IS NOT JUST SELF-INTEREST ON HONG KONG'S PART. STANDING UP FOR FREE TRADE BETWEEN THE US AND CHINA IS NOT COST-FREE FOR HONG KONG GIVEN THE DEEPLY ENTRENCHED VIEWS TOWARDS CHINA AMONG SOME CONGRESSMEN. BUT IT IS A PRINCIPLE WHICH WE AND CHINA SHARE, AND WHICH THE GOVERNOR WILL BE UPHOLDING, NOTWITHSTANDING THE RISKS FOR HONG KONG.
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(FOR SINGAPORE) WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO THE MOD THAT MR RIFKIND SHOULD RAISE THIS MATTER WITH LEE KUAN YEW IF A MEETING CAN BE ARRANGED. SUBJECT TO YOUR AND HONG KONG'S VIEWS, WE WILL PROPOSE THAT HE SHOULD SPEAK ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:
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SURPRISED AT THE REMARKS OF SENIOR MINISTER LEE THAT THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS WERE PART OF A WIDER US PLAN TO BRING DEMOCRACY TO CHINA. NOTHING COULD BE MORE UNTRUE.
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THE GOVERNOR DREW UP HIS PROPOSALS FOR THE 1995 ELECTIONS THE LIGHT OF HIS DISCUSSIONS WITH PEOPLE IN HONG KONG DURING HIS FIRST TWO MONTHS IN THE TERRITORY. THEY REFLECTED HIS ASSESSMENT OF WHAT HONG KONG PEOPLE WANTED. HE HAD NO OTHER CONSIDERATIONS IN MIND.
MINISTERS IN LONDON WERE OF COURSE INFORMED OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS AND GAVE THEM THEIR FULL SUPPORT. NO OTHER WESTERN GOVERNMENT WAS CONSULTED ABOUT THEM BEFORE THEY WERE ANNOUNCED.
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ATTACHES GREAT IMPORTANCE TO ITS RELATIONS WITH THE PRC. ANY SUGGESTION THAT THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS ARE SOMEHOW DIRECTED AT CHINA RATHER THAN HONG KONG IS FANCIFUL AND FALSE.
THE CHINESE HAVE ALSO SAID THAT BRITAIN ALWAYS INSTIGATES DEMOCRACY IN ITS COLONIES JUST BEFORE DECOLONISATION AS AN ATTEMPT TO ENSURE THAT 'BRITISH STOOGES ARE ELECTED'. AS MINISTER LEE WILL APPRECIATE THIS MERELY INDICATES THE DEPTH OF CHINESE MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT OUR POLICIES AND WHAT HAPPENS IN DEMOCRACIES.
WE BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO WORK TOWARDS REMOVING THAT MISUNDERSTANDING AND MISTRUST. THAT IS WHY WE THINK THAT COMMENTS WHICH TEND TO FUEL THEIR SUSPICIONS ARE PARTICULARLY UNHELPFUL. THE GOVERNOR IS ESPECIALLY PUZZLED AS HE HAS BASED HIS APPROACH TO A CERTAIN EXTENT ON THE ADVICE HE RECEIVED FROM
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