TNAG-1306-FCO40-1663-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 25

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CONFIDENTIAL

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TELELETTER

FROM:

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1 Thaupar (27)

Mouler RD Mr. Mahi, Assstaff.

Enter a fuch to

RP MARGOLIS, DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER

HONG KONG

4/271,

+IKK040/1

RECEIVED IN ALGISTRY

(57)

Cab Offe

FILE REF:

SGD 4/01

DATED: 26 JANUARY 1984

TO:

W MORRIS ESQ, HONG KONG DEPARTMENT,

F CO

C.C.:

D G BLUNT ESQ

PEKING

OFFICEN

C+12

and also,

hre

Sather,

to a wide

سیا صح ا

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: XU JIATUN'S ADDRESS TO HONG KONG UNIVERSITY CONVOCATION

1. BY WAY OF POSTSCRIPT TO THE REPORTING AND COMMENTING ON XU'S SPEECH, YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN THE FOLLOWING POINTS OF

BACKGROUND:

(A) A MEMBER OF THE ACADEMIC STAFF HAS TOLD US THAT THE COMMITTEE OF CONVOCATION ORGANISES TALKS ABOUT ONCE A QUARTER. WHEN PREPARING FOR THE JANUARY TALK, THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD ASK THE CHIEF JUSTICE TO SPEAK. AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE A RESERVE IN CASE THE CHIEF JUSTICE WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND AND SOMEONE (NAME UNKNOWN) LIGHTHEARTEDLY SUGGESTED THAT XU JIATUN MIGHT BE MADE FIRST RESERVE. THE GENERAL FEELING WAS THAT EVEN IF YOU WERE TO TASK, XU WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO ACCEPT.

(B) IN THE EVENT, SIR DENYS ROBERTS COULD NOT SPEAK SO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CONVOCATION, DR. PETER C.Y. LEE, AFTER CONSULTING THE VICE CHANCELLOR, DECIDED TO TRY FOR XU. HE APPROACHED NCNA VIA A CONTACT AT THE TA KUNG PAO. AFTER A DELAY OF ABOUT A FORT- NIGHT AND TO THE COMMITTEE'S SURPRISE XU AGREED TO SPEAK ON CON- DITION THAT NO REPORTERS WERE PRESENT.

(C) SHORTLY BEFORE THE EVENT, NCNA LEAKED THE NEWS AND A LARGE GROUP OF REPORTERS TURNED UP. THEY WERE ALLOWED TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS BUT WERE THEN ASKED TO LEAVE. A COPY OF XU'S SPEECH WAS SUBSEQUNETLY DISTRIBUTED BY NCNA TO THE PRESS. AS YOU KNOW, AN EDITED VERSION OF THE QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION WAS ALSO DISTRIBUTED AND PUBLISHED

IngwasejatinIN THE TA KUNG PAO.

inthik!

Merid

2. A MEMBER OF SECURITY BRANCH (WHO IS A HONG KONG UNIVERSITY GRADUATE) WAS AMONGST THE AUDIENCE. DURING DINNER, SHE AND SOME OTHER FELLOW GRADUATES DISCUSSED XU'S SPEECH. THE CONSENSUS WAS THAT WHILST CHINA'S GOOD INTENTIONS WERE NOT IN DOUBT, THEY WERE NOT ENOUGH: TIME WAS NEEDED FOR CHINA TO DEMONSTRATE HER GOOD INTENTIONS IN PRACTICE. ONE FELLOW GRADUATE REFERRED TO THE FACT THAT THE PRC HAD ENTIRELY DIFFERENT NOTIONS OF FREEDOM, EQUALITY AND THE RULE OF LAW, WHICH, IF APPLIED TO HONG KONG M WOULD BE DISASTROUS. HE HAD NOT FOUND XU JIATUN'S TALK VERY REASSURING.

SIGNED: R P MARGOLIS

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