97499 St.S.
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry No.
Top Secret. Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted. Unclassified.
DRAFT
0.P.D. PAPER
Type 1 +
To:-
From
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
Memorandum by the Commonwealth Secretary
Situation in Hong Kong
A background note on the recent
disturbances is at annex.
2.
The policy of the Hong Kong Government
has been to deal firmly with any disorders
which the Communists may try to instigate
but at the same time to avoid so. far as
possible action which could be regarded by
the Chinese Peoples Government as
unnecessarily provocative.
3. One encouraging feature is that many
public organisations have rallied behind
the Government's attempts to maintain peace. in
Hong Kong. But there are already signs
that unless the Hong Kong Government are seen
to take effective action to control the
situation, instead of simply acting to block
individual Communist initiatives, public
confidence will slip. Once this occurs a
landslide could quickly follow.
4. The key to the situation is the
maintenance of public confidence and especially
police morale. The police have stood up to
the situation very well but:-
(a) fatigue is now beginning to tell on
them; and
(b) the constant barrage of Communist
propaganda
Page 120Page 121
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.