RESTRICTED
TOP COPY
MKK040/2
--
RECEIVED IN (70SEY NO. 51
i
13 JUN 1983
GPS 200
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 090840Z JUN 83
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 784 OF 9 JUNE 1983
AND TO ROUTINE PEKING
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
INDEX
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE
THE MAJOR STORY IN TODAY'S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS WAS THE RELEASE OF A VERSION OF THE MEMORANDUM PRESENTED TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES BY THE GROUP OF YOUNG PROFESSIONALS LED BY LEGCO MEMBER ALLEN LEE WHICH RECENTLY VISITED PEKING. THE COMMUNIST WEN WEI PO NOTED THAT THE MEMORANDUM HAD BEEN RELEASED BUT GAVE NO DETAILS. THE OTHER COMMUNIST NEWSPAPERS
MADE NO REFERENCE TO IT.
2. QUOTING WIDELY FROM THE RELEASED TEXT, MOST PAPERS PLAYED UP THE MEMUYANDUM'S VIEW THAT THE SELF-RULE FORMULA (GANGREN ZHIGANG) ADVANCED BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES COULD NOT MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. QUOTING AN UNDISCLOSED SOURCE, THE ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS ALLEGED THAT THE TEXT OF THE PUBLICLY RELEASED MEMORANDUM HAD BEEN ABRIDGED TO OMIT SEVERAL SUGGESTED FORMULAS FOR THE RESOLUTION OF HONG KONG'S FUTURE. THE PAPER CONCEDED THAT A MEMBER OF THE DELEGATION HAD DENIED
THAT THE TEXT WAS ABRIDGED.
3. MOST NEWSPAPERS INCLUDED A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN'S COMMENT THAT THE MEMORANDUM HAD BEEN STUDIED WITH INTEREST AND HIS REITERATION OF THE HONG KONG AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS' INTENTION OF TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE VIEWS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS.
YOUDE
IUTURE OF TONG KONG
TEMBAN
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SIR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALDD MR WRIGHT
RESTRICTED
COPIES TO
SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS
MR ROBERTS NEWS D
MR MARTIN
MR FLOWER
ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE
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SIR A PARSONS
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