SECRET
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 06090OZ FCO
TELNO 10
OF 06043OZ JANUARY 92
INFO DESKBY 06090OZ HONG KONG
IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG
SECRET
027406 (10
MDHIAN 4394
TOP COPY
ри
PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD FROM COX CIN AMBASSADOR'S ABSENCE ON TOUR>
HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR
UKREP JLG PERSONAL FOR MR GALSWORTHY
(5)
FOR
YOUR TELNOS 4 AND 5 TO HONG KONG: HONG KONG: DRAFT OPD (K) PAPER
9
MWB 012Li
이라고
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
7 JAN 1993
DESK OFFICER
REGISTRY
INDEX
PA
Action Taken
1 THE AMBASSADOR RETURNS TOMORROW AND MAY WISH TO COMMENT SEPARATELY ON HONG KONG TELNO 14. OUR IMMEDIATE CONCERN IS TO DISTINGUISH CLEARLY BETWEEN THE EVIDENCE WE SEE OF A SOMEWHAT LESS AGGRESSIVE CHINESE PUBLIC LINE AND THE CONCLUSIONS WE DRAW ABOUT ANY EVOLUTION IN THEIR UNDERLYING ATTITUDES. THE MORE MODERATE SIGNALS RECENTLY EMANATING FROM LU PING AND QIAN QICHEN MAY WELL BE PURELY TACTICAL.
2. THUS WE DO NOT AGREE WITH THE FIRST SENTENCE OF PARA 5 OF THE DRAFT IN YOUR SECOND TUR: WE HAVE SEEN NO EVIDENCE OF A MORE MODERATE APPROACH GAINING GROUND ON THE CHINESE SIDE. THERE HAVE INSTEAD BEEN:
(A)
(B) SOME COOLING OF THE PUBLIC TEMPERATURE, WITH NO NEW TURNS OF THE SCREW AND NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE SABRES RATTLED IN EARLY DECEMBER (YOUR SUB-PARAS (II) TO (IV)).
3. AS YOU SAY (PARA 6) IT IS NOT CLEAR WHAT HAS PRODUCED THIS SOMEWHAT LESS CONFRONTATIONAL LINE. WE DOUBT THAT IMPROVED CHINESE UNDERSTANDING OF THE LEGCO TIMETABLE OR CONCERNS ABOUT SINO-US RELATIONS OR ABOUT DAMAGE TO THE HONG KONG ECONOMY WILL HAVE BEEN DECISIVE. A MORE NATURAL INTERPRETATION IS THAT CHINESE OFFICIALS
PAGE 1 SECRET
THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN
CLOSED UNDER
FOI EXEMPTION NO. 27 (1)
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