TNAG-1307-FCO40-1664-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 29

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HKR OACH!

HEDE VEDNN REGISTRY

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FM HONG KONG 280905Z FEB 94

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 539 OF 23 FEBRUARY

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Action Taku

YOUR TELNOS 360 AND 361: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: MP WALTER SUCKE

1. THE RISK WITH THE DRAFT PROPOSED IN SECOND TEL UNDER REF IS THAT IT MAY ENCOURAGE MR SULKE AND OTHERS TO ENGAGE IN A PROTRACTED CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE PRIME MINISTER ON POINTS OF SUBSTANCE. AS WITH THE STUDENTS WHO WROTE TO THE PRIME MINISTER IN OCTOBER AND AGAIN IN NOVEMBER 1983, OUR VIEW IS THAT THIS SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED. WE THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT THE PRIVATE SECRETARY REPLIES IN GENERAL TERMS ONLY, ON THE LINES IN PARA ONE OF THE DRAFT IN YOUR SECOND TEL UNDER REF.

2. MR SULKE'S SUMMARY OF HIS CREDENTIALS IN THE PREAMBLE TO HIS SPEECH IS ACCURATE. HE IS OF GERMAN-JEWISH ORIGIN AND AT ONE TIME LIVED IN SHANGHAI. SINCE COMING TO HONG KONG IN 1948 HE HAS ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN AND FORTH- RIGHT COMMENTATOR ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS. HE HAS BEEN AN APPOINTED MEMBER OF THE URBAN COUNCIL SINCE 1981 AND SERVES ON A WIDE VARIETY OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, INCLUDING EPCOM. HIS OUTSPOK – ENNESS HAS EARNED HIM SOME ENEMIES ON THE URBAN COUNCIL WHO OPPOSED THE RENEWAL OF HIS APPOINTMENT LAST YEAR. NEVERTHELESS HE IS RESPECTED IN THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.

3. MR SULKE'S SPEECH WAS PROMINENTLY REPORTED BY THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PRESS AND ROUTINELY IN THE INDEPENDENT CHINESE PRESS (MY TELNO 342). THE ONLY REACTION BY THE LEFT WING PRESS CAME FROM WEN WEI PO. A CONTRIBUTOR TO THE PUBLIC DEBATE COLUMN OF 14 FEBRUARY CRITICISED THE PROPOSAL FOR A REFERENDUM. THE ARTICLE ACCUSED MR SULKE OF TRYING TO PROMOTE AN INDEPENDENT HONG KONG AND OF INTERNATIONAL ISING THE ISSUE. SUCH SUGGESTIONS SHOWED THAT HE WAS AN IGNORANT AND ARROGANT FOREIGNER (HY TELNO 384).

4. MR SULKE'S SPEECH IS AN ACCURATE REFLECTION OF LOCAL OPINION. HOWEVER THE CALL FOR A REFERENDUM IS RELATIVELY NEW. MOST INFORMED COMMENTATORS SEE THE DIFFICULTIES IN SUCH A PROCEDURE.

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SIRP CRADOCK