TNAG-1249-FCO40-1563-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 80

GPS 370

RESTRICTED

RESTRICTED

DESKBY 270600Z

FM HONG KONG 270445Z OCT 63

KK04012

(275)

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

23 JCT 1983

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

TOP COP

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1612 OF 27 OCTOBER 1983

Hall

#NFO IMMEDIATE PEKING AND ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, GENVA AND BRUSSELS

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE

1. PROMINENT AND WIDESPREAD COVERAGE WAS GIVEN IN ALL PAPERS ON

27 OCTOBER TO THE DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON MY ADDRESS. THE REMARKS WHICH ATTRACTED MOST ATTENTION WERE:

A) A CALL BY DR. HO KAM-FACH FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO ISSUE PERIODIC

STATEMENTS ON THE TALKS WITHOUT BREACHING CONFIDENTIALITY AND

WITHOUT RESORTING TO A QUOTE COLD WAR OF WORDS UNQUOTE,

B) A CALL BY MISS LYDIA DUNN FOR THE DEATH SENTENCE TO BE FORMALLY

ABOLISHED ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT WAS ABSURD TO GO THROUGH THE RPTUAL

OF PRONOUNCHING THE DEATH SENTENCE WHEN EVERYONE KNEW IT WOULD NOT

BE CARRIED OUT.

C) MR. ROGER LOBO'S ASSERTION THAT, WHILST LITTLE COULD USEFULLY BE SAID ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE, THERE WAS MUCH WHICH COULD USEFULLY BE SAND AND DONE ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF GOVER-

MENT INTO THE NEXT CENTURY. THIS WAS A TIME FOR LIVELY ACTION BY

THE ADMINISTRATION WHILE AWAITING A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF THE

FUTURE.

THE COMMUNIST PRESS REPORTED THE DEBATE WITHOUT COMMENT, BUT GAVE SPECIAL PROMINENCE TO REMARKS CRINTHICAL OF THE GOVERNMENT, HN

PARTICULAR TO MR. ANDREW SOC CALL FOR FREEZING PUBLIC UTHLMITY

PRICES. THE HONG KONG DAILY NEWS (INDEPENDENT) MIN HITS EDITORIAL

PUCKED UP MR. LOBO'S REMARKS AND SAID THAT THE HONG KONG GOVER-

MENT'S RECORD OF SUCCESS COULD NOT BE #GNORED IN THE DISCUSSIONS

ON THE FUTURE. WHILST MISTAKES HAD BEEN MADE, THE GOVERNMENT HAD

TAKEN MANY POSHTIVE MEASURES TO IMPROVE PEOPLE'S FAITH IN THE

SYSTEM. IT WAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY COUNCILLOR, GOVERNMENT

OFFICIAL AND ORDINARY CHITZENS TO SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT IN HITS

EFFORTS TO SECURE HONG KONG'S FUTURE. THE WAH KU YAT PO EDITORIAL

ENDORSED DR. HO'S CALL FOR PERIODIC STATEMENTS ON THE FUTURE.

2. REMARKS BY URBAN COUNCILLOR DR. DENNY HUANG ON A DISCUSSION PROGRAMME ON TVB'S ENGLISH CHANNEL LAST NIGHT WERE ALSO WIDELY

REPORTED. DR. HUANG SAID THAT BRITAIN MUST HAVE QUOTE ABBROGATED

UNQUOTE ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG AFTER

1997, OTHERWISE THE TALKS WOULD NOT STILL BE GOING ON, NOR WOULD THERE BE THE PRESENT OPTIMISM. THERE WAS NO CHANCE OF PROLONGING

BRITISH RULE BEYOND 1997. WHILST PUBLIC OPINION SHOULD BE RESPECTED BY ANY GOVERNMENT, WHEN A COUNTRY'S TERRITORY AND SOVEREIGNTY WERE INVOLVED, PUBLIC OPINYON HAD TO COME SECOND.

RESTRICTED

13