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HKD 026/3
(40)
047716
MDHIAN 1248
TOP COPY
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FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 293
OF 301028Z JANUARY 92
11 FEB ARE
G DIST 3
INFO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
35
BTC TELNO 34: VISIT BY LORD CAITHNESS TO HONG KONG: SPEECH TO BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE/BULLDOGS LUNCH
1. I SEE THE NEED TO PUT A COMMERCIAL MESSAGE IN A POLITICAL FRAMEWORK, AND AM GENERALLY CONTENT WITH THE POINTS SUGGESTED IN TUR. BUT I DO NOT THINK IT WOULD BE RIGHT TO SINGLE OUT CHINA'S HONG KONG AFFAIRS ADVISERS AS ONE OF THE TOPICS. THERE IS CONSIDERABLE SUSPICION LOCALLY ABOUT THE ADVISERS. OUR OWN WISH IS THAT THE CHINESE SHOULD DEVELOP CONTACTS WITH ALL SECTORS OF SOCIETY IN HONG KONG AND ALL GROUPS IN LEGCO: NOT JUST WITH A SELECT GROUP OF ADVISERS WHO WILL IN FACT, WHATEVER WE MAY SAY PUBLICLY, BE A DIVISIVE FORCE IN SOCIETY. THE SUBJECT IS BETTER AVOIDED IN A SPEECH. THERE IS NO DOUBT THE MINISTER WILL BE QUESTIONED ABOUT IT BY THE PRESS.
2. IT WOULD ALSO BE BETTER NOT/NOT TO HIGHLIGHT HMG'S COMMITMENT TO A PROGRAMME OF DEMOCRATIC REFORM, IF THAT MEANS REPEATING HMG'S INTENTIONS TO PRESS CHINA TO ACCEPT MORE DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS. AGAIN, THE POINT CAN BE TAKEN AS NECESSARY IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS. THERE COULD, HOWEVER, BE A REFERENCE TO THE NEW LEGCO: TO THE FACT THAT IT WILL NATURALLY TAKE SOME TIME TO SETTLE DOWN: BUT THAT THIS HAS NOT PREVENTED GOVERNMENT BUSINESS GETTING DONE. AS MY TELNO 255 POINTED OUT, 107 OUT OF 110 PAPERS PUT TO FINANCE COMMITTEE AND ITS SUB-COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN APPROVED SINCE SEPTEMBER, ACCOUNTING FOR 99.98 PERCENT BY VALUE OF ALL APPROPRIATIONS SOUGHT DURING THIS LEGCO SESSION.
WILSON
YYYY
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