TNAG-1322-FCO40-1728-Future-of-Hong-Kong-opinion-polls-and-surveys-1984 — Page 196

SIR P CRADOCK

MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 18110OZ

FM HONG KONG 18101OZ OCT 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

ADVANCE COPY

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3254 OF 18 OCTOBER

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

IMMEDIATE

10787/ 88

YOUR TELNO 2087 : HONG KONG AGREEMENT: PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS

I DO NOT THINK WE SHOULD REGARD THIS DEVELOPMENT AS UNDULY ALARMING. THERE HAVE BEEN EARLIER SUGGESTIONS IN THE PRESS THAT AN OFFICIAL SURVEY SHOULD BE MADE AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING THAT THIS WILL BE DONE. A SURVEY FINANCED BY SEVEN OTHER SPONSORS IN WHICH THE UMELCO PARTICIPATION IS ONLY 12 AND A HALF PERCENT WILL GIVE IT ONLY A SMALL OFFICIAL FLAVOUR IF INDEED THIS POINT IS NOTED. THE ORGANISATION HAS SAID SPECIFICALLY THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE ANY CONNECTION WITH THE GOVERNMENT.

2. SRH IS AN INTERNATIONAL, PROFESSIONAL AND REPUTABLE COMPANY IN MARKET RESEARCH AND ITS METHODS ETC. DO NOT CALL FOR CONTROL AS YOU HAVE SUGGESTED. SO FAR THE SRH SURVEY IS THE ONLY LARGE SCALE AND STRUCTURED OPINION SURVEY CONDUCTED BY A PROFESSIONAL MARKET RESEARCH ORGANISATION ON HONG KONG PEOPLE'S REACTIONS TO THE DRAFT AGREEMENT. 6,000 RESPONDENTS HAVE BEEN SELECTED THROUGH A RANDOM SAMPLING METHOD AND THE POLL IS TO BE CONDUCTED BETWEEN 16 OCTOBER AND 3 NOVEMBER.

3. WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY SAID THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE WILL BE GIVEN TIME TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE AGREEMENT AND IT IS FUNDAMENTAL THAT ORGANISATIONS ARE FREE TO ARRANGE SURVEYS OF THIS SORT. WE SHALL NEED TO LIVE WITH THE RESULTS WHICH IN ANY CASE WILL BE

A USEFUL ADDITION TO THE VIEWS EXPRESSED GENERALLY.