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CONFIDENTIAL
175313 MDHIAN 3005
020/1
TOP COPY Q DIST?
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 18103OZ FCO
TELNO 1750
OF 181011Z DECEMBER 92
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
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HONG KONG TELNO 2915: LEE KUAN YEW'S VIEWS ON HONG KONG AND CHINA
SUMMARY
1.
LEE KUAN YEW'S PRESS INTERVIEWS IN HONG KONG WILL CONFIRM CHINESE LEADERS IN THEIR BELIEF THAT THE GOVERNOR'S CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS ARE PART OF A WIDER WESTERN CONSPIRACY. REQUEST FOR INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACTION HERE.
DETAIL
2. THOUGH THERE HAVE SO FAR BEEN NO COMMENTARIES, THERE WERE REPORTS ON LEE KUAN YEW'S SPEECH IN HONG KONG IN THE PEOPLE'S DAILY ON 16 DECEMBER AND IN THE CHINA DAILY ON 17 DECEMBER. THE REPORTS DO NOT/NOT COVER LEE'S REMARKS ABOUT A WESTERN PLOT, BUT THESE WILL OF COURSE HAVE BEEN REPORTED FULLY IN INTERNAL PUBLICATIONS.
3. LEE'S COMMENTS WILL INDEED REINFORCE THE CHINESE BELIEF THAT THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS ARE PART OF A WIDER WESTERN CONSPIRACY. BUT THERE IS AMPLE EVIDENCE THAT THE BELIEF HAD TAKEN FIRM HOLD IN THE MINDS OF CHINESE LEADERS SOME TIME AGO, AND THAT IT IS ONE OF THE ROOT CAUSES (THOUGH NOT OF COURSE THE ONLY ONE OF THE INTENSITY OF THE CHINESE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE PROPOSALS. IT WILL BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DISLODGE.
4 HONG KONG TUR SUGGESTS ACTION WHICH COULD BE TAKEN WITH POSTS IN THE REGION. THAT WILL BE USEFUL. BUT WE ALSO NEED TO CONSIDER ACTION HERE. I SUGGEST THAT I BE INSTRUCTED TO MAKE A FORMAL APPROACH TO THE FOREIGN MINISTRY. I WOULD ASK TO SEE VICE-FOREIGN MINISTER JIANG ENZHU BUT WOULD SETTLE FOR THE HEAD OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAO AFFAIRS OFFICE IF HE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, AND THOSE OF THE GOVERNOR, MY APPROACH COULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS:
MINISTERS WERE SURPRISED AND CONCERNED TO READ REPORTS OF LEE KUAN YEW'S REMARKS TO THE PRESS IN HONG KONG SUGGESTING THAT THE
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