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MKK040/2
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FM HONG KONG 28074JZ JUL 83
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1890 OF 28 JULY
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· AUC 1983
REGISTRY
PA
Action Takar:)
DESK OFFICIA
INOFX
1 ICM 218
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, WASHINGTON (FOR HK GOVT REP), CG NEW YORK (FOR HK GOVT REP), BRUSSELS (FOR HK GOVT REP), UKMIS GENEVA (FOR HK GOVT REP)
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE.
MY RETURN FROM PEKING WAS PROMINENTLY COVERED IN ALL PAPERS, AS WAS THE RESUMPTION OF THE TALKS NEXT WEEK. SEVERAL INDEPENDENT PAPERS ALSO REPORTED PROMINENTLY THAT I WAS TO MEET EXCO MEMBERS LAST NIGHT. SING PAO, FOR EXAMPLE, SAID THAT THE BRIEFING GIVEN TO EXCO AGAIN SHOWED THE IMPORTANCE ATTACHED BY BRITAIN TO THE VIEWS OF THE UNOFFICIALS.
2. THE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE SCMP REPORTED PROMINENTLY AN ADDRESS BY DEREK DAVIES, EDITOR OF THE FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW TO THE ZONTA CLUB IN WHICH HE BLAMED THE STRICT CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE TALKS FOR RECENT ECONOMIC JITTERS IN HONG KONG, ALTHOUGH HE CONCEDED THAT THESE HAD BEEN ALLAYED SOMEWHAT BY THE JOINT STATEMENTS RELEASED AFTER EACH SESSION OF THE TALKS IN PEKING. IN A SIMILAR VEIN, A LOCAL BROADCASTER AND SCMP COLUMNIST TED THOMAS TOLD A MEETING OF THE HARVARD CLUB THAT THE VEIL OF SECRECY SURROUNDING THE TALKS COULD ONLY SERVE TO MAKE PEOPLE SUSPICIOUS. 3. SEVERAL INDEPENDENT PAPERS REPORTED A LUNCHEON ADDRESS TO THE ROTARY CLUB BY HONG KONG UNIVERSITY LECTURER VICTOR SIT, WHO CALLED ON THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO PROCEED WITH LOCALISATION OF GOVERNMENT APPOINTMENTS TO PAVE THE WAY FOR SELF-RULE AFTER 1997. SIT SAID THAT BRITAIN, LIKE CHINA SHOULD DECLARE ITS INTENTION OF PRESERVING HONG KONG STABILITY AND PROSPERITY AFTER 1997.
Lee (80)
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