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021247 MDHIAN 3664

RETURN. HE HAS ALSO REITERATED PUBLICLY THAT HE HAS NO INTENTION OF ACTING OUTSIDE CHINESE LAW, WHILE MAINTAINING THAT HE HAS NEVER INFRINGED IT. HONG KONG NPC DELEGATE ELSIE LEUNG, WHO IS CURRENTLY IN PEKING, HAS WE UNDERSTAND PROMISED TO DELIVER A LETTER FROM HAN TO NPC CHAIRMAN QIAO SHI.

COMMENT

4.

PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT THE CASE, AND SUPPORT FOR HAN, REMAINS STRONG. THERE IS NO OBVIOUS END IN SIGHT TO THE CURRENT STAND-OFF BETWEEN HAN AND PEKING. IT IS A PITY THAT THE CHINESE APPEAR TO BE ADOPTING A MORE CONFRONTATIONAL MODE IN THEIR COMMENTS ON THE HONG KONG ASPECT OF THIS CASE. WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF ENCOURAGING THIS. BUT NOR WOULD IT BE POLITICALLY REALISTIC HERE TO IGNORE THE ANXIETIES OF THE COMMUNITY.

PATTEN

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

64

ΜΑΙΝ

57

.HK

POLICY

HKD

PUSD

FED

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS NEWS D

NTCD

PLANNERS

RAD

PS

PS/MR GOODLAD

SIR J COLES MR HUM

ADDITIONAL

7

CAOFF//SIR R BRAITHWAITE (DIO)

CAOFF//MISS NEVILLE-JONES CAOFF//MR SIBSON

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PS NO 10.

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