TNAG-0687-FCO40-836-Disturbances-by-police-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 172

IMMEDIATE CYPHER/CAT A

GPS 295

FM HONG KONG 090445Z

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

AKK 382/16

51

- NOV 1977

TO IMMEDIATE F.C.O TELNO.1114 OF 9 NOVEMBER. BER.

INDEX

No as

I het.

غه

w/R

YOUR TELNO.857 : PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION: LORD RHODES.

93

1. YOUR PARA.2, I SUGGEST THE ANSWER SHOULD BE:

THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG'S DECISION TO GRANT A LIMITED AMNESTY

AND HIS SUBSEQUENT REFUSAL TO EXTEND IT IN ANY WAY ARE BOTH

FULLY SUPPORTED BY HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT.''

2. THOUGH WE ARE NOT OUT OF THE WOOD BY ANY MEANS, FOR THE

MOMENT IT APPEARS THAT WE HAVE AVERTED AN ATTEMPT TO OPERATE

''POLICE POWER'' BY RALLYING PEOPLE POWER'', 1.E BY

MOBILISATION OF EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT FOR THE TWO-LEGGED

STAND TAKEN THAT HAS BEEN UNIVERSAL AND REMARKABLE. I HAVE

NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE. I BELIEVE IT IS THIS,

SUPPORTED BY THE DEMONSTRATION OF DETERMINATION THAT THE

EMERGENCY AMENDMENT TO THE POLICE ORDINANCE PROVIDED, THAT

TIPPED THE SCALES. IN VIEW OF THE TENDENTIOUS REPORTING IN

THE TIMES AND GUARDIAN IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO WORK THIS ASPECT

INTO REPLIES TO SUPPLEMENTARIES.

3. I SUGGEST SENTENCE ALONG THE FOLLOWING LINES: MIGHT BE USED:

''IT IS CLEAR THAT THE LIMITED AMNESTY THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED

WHEN COUPLED WITH AN ABSOLUTE REFUSAL TO GO FURTHER HAD OVERWHELMING AND INSTANTANEOUS LOCAL SUPPORT. THIS MASSIVE

AND IMMEDIATE MANIFESTATION OF SOLIDARITY BY THE PUBLIC

REFLECTS GREAT CREDIT ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMMUNITY

IN HONG KONG, AND H.M.G WELCOME THE GOOD SENSE OF THE POLICE

FORCE IN IMMEDIATELY RECOGNISING THE SITUATION.

4. IN VIEW OF YOUR PARA.3 I HAVE TELEGRAPHED IMMEDIATELY. ANY

FURTHER SUGGESTIONS WILL FOLLOW IN THE LIGHT OF DEVELOPMENTS

BETWEEN NOW AND 14TH NOVEMBER.

MACLENOSE

FILES

HK+GD(5)

ора

Ps.

ROBERTS MR MURRAY MR STRATTON

PS/LORD GORONWY

Ps/pus. SI'R A Duff MRCORTAZZI

NEWS A

PARC UNIT

CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES TO

HONGKONG GOUT OFFICE