TNAG-1237-FCO40-1550-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 14

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FROM R D CLIFT, HONG KONG AND GENERAL DEPARTMENT FILE REFERENCE HKK 040/4 DATED 25 OCTOBER 1982 FOLLOWING FOR SIR EDWARD YOUDE KCMG MBE, GOVERNOR AND COMMANDER-

IN-CHIEF, HONG KONG (PERSONAL)

SIR PERCY CRADOCK KCMG, PEKING (PERSONAL)

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PUBLIC OPINION AND CONSULTATION

BU noted for Mr Borno

2/11

1.

AS HE TOLD YOU, SIR SY CHUNG REITERATED DURING HIS VISIT TO LONDON THE LINE TAKEN BY THE UNOFFICIALS, IE THAT A CONCESSION ON SOVEREIGNTY SHOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED AS A LAST RESORT IF THAT WERE THE ONLY WAY OF MAINTAINING CONTINUATION OF BRITISH

ADMINISTRATION (YOUR TELNO 1202 PARAGRAPH 2).--(10)

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2.

WHICH THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG CAN REACH HMG, WE NEED TO MONITOR CAREFULLY HOW FAR THEIR POSITION REFLECTS BROADER PUBLIC OPINION IN HONG KONG. THERE ARE SOME SIGNS THAT A MORE

FLEXIBLE VIEW IS DEVELOPING. JUDGING FROM NEWSPAPER COMMENT, THE SURVEYS REPORTED IN HONG KONG TELNO 944 AND MASEFIELD'S

LETTER OF 9 OCTOBER TO MORRIS, AND POSITION PAPERS PREPARED BY THE HONG KONG PROSPECT INSTITUTE, THE HONG KONG OBSERVERS AND OTHERS, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE WHOLE TERRITORY MUST INEVITABLY PASS TO CHINA. THIS IS

NOT SURPRISING BUT THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT SOME, EG THE OBSERVERS, GO FURTHER AND BELIEVE THAT THE ONLY PRACTICAL COURSE

IN LEADING UP TO 1997 MUST BE TO ARRANGE AS SMOOTH A TRANSITION

AS POSSIBLE THEREAFTER. IT IS, OF COURSE, POSSIBLE THAT THE

CURRENT CHINESE PROPAGANDA ABOUT THEIR INTENTIONS HAS HAD AN

EFFECT ON LOCAL REACTIONS, IN THE SENSE THAT A NUMBER OF

COMMENTATORS ARE ALREADY HEDGING THEIR BETS.

WHILE THE UNOFFICIALS CLEARLY REMAIN THE MAIN CHANNEL THROUGH in

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3. IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE YOUR VIEWS ON HOW FAR PUBLIC

OPINION ACCEPTS THESE IDEAS. THE POSITION PAPER OF THE OBSERVERS

IN PARTICULAR HAS ATTRACTED SOME ATTENTION THROUGH A LETTER WHICH

THEY WROTE TO THE GUARDIAN ON 18 OCTOBER AND THEY HAVE SENT A

Ste (175

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