TNAG-1322-FCO40-1728-Future-of-Hong-Kong-opinion-polls-and-surveys-1984 — Page 292

26/6/5

CONFIDENTIAL

To cufri

LIED>

UKK04025

HEDE VED IN HET N

INDEX

Sir P Cradock.

2

PS/Mr Luce

-

5 JUL 1984

ARB 23/28 2317

Minister (he, se.)

FROM:

DATE: 26 June 1984

RD CLIFT, HKD

CC: Sir W Harding

Mr Orr, FED

217

Mr Goulden, News Dept

Mr Walker, Research Dept

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PUBLIC OPINION

(31

*

1. I submit Hong Kong tele 1685 giving an assessment of public

opinion in the territory and an account of the latest proposals from groups in Hong Kong on what an eventual agreement should contain.

2. We have commissioned these periodic reports from Hong Kong so

1

that we can keep an eye on how opinion has developed since the

Secretary of State $ statement on the talks on 20 April. We wish to

be able to argue that this monitoring of Hong Kong opinion

·

constitutes an initial phase in testing the acceptability of the

agreement to the people of Hong Kong; that Ministers have been kept

informed of the views of the people of Hong Kong; and that the

negotiators are taking them into account in the talks in Peking. It

will also enable us to enter the debate at a later stage, through

articles ΟΙ statements by Ministers and members of the Hong Kong

Government,

to influence it in constructive direction

3.

ons.

This report indicates that in general the mood in Hong Kong is

outwardly calm, and that the establishment of the working group has

encouraged confidence that the two sides will arrive at an early

lagreement. Beneath the surface however there are signs of unease

dhown both in opinion polls and in enquiries at the Australian Commission about immigration prospects. The public service and police remain generally quiet but there is increasing pressure for

undertakings on pensions.

CONFIDENTIAL

32