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THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN CLOSED UNDER
FOI EXEMPTION NO.....27.
045022 MDADAN 8096
21. I SAID THAT I WAS MORE USED TO HANDLING LIBERAL POLITICIANS THAN CHINESE OFFICIALS. BUT ONE THING WAS QUITE CLEAR. IF THE
LIBERALS THOUGHT THEY HAD BEEN BETRAYED AND IF THE COMMUNITY AGREED, THE LIBERALS WOULD WIN EVERY ELECTION FOREVER. THEY WON NOW BECAUSE THEY WERE SEEN AS STANDING UP FOR HONG KONG AND FOR DEMOCRACY. THE MORE CHINA ATTACKED THEM, THE MORE THEY WOULD WIN. I WAS FAR FROM CONVINCED THAT THE ELECTORATE WOULD BECOME CONSERVATIVE IN 1995. IN ANY CASE, CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL PARTIES SEEMED DISINCLINED TO STAND IN ELECTIONS. WE WOULD DO NO
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