TNAG-1330-FCO40-1757-Future-of-Hong-Kong-test-of-the-acceptability-of-the-Joint-D-1984 — Page 126

GRS 250

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 171113Z OCT 84

TO PRIORITY F C O

ник

CONFIDENTIAL HKK 040/46°

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3237 OF 17 OCTOBER

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY: UMELCO.

19 OCT 1984

JAI

32k GR 22/10

그

WE HAVE JUST LEARNT THAT UMELCO HAS CONTRIBUTED HK DOLLARS 50,000 TOWARDS THE COST OF A PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY ON THE ACCEPTARILITY OF THE AGREEMENT WHICH IS NOW BEING CONDUCTED BY A PROFESSIONAL ORGANISATION, SURVEY RESEARCH, HONG KONG AND WHICH WILL BE CONCLUDED BEFORE 15 NOVEMBER. THE MONEY HAS COME FROM THE UMELCO VOTE FROM WHICH EXPENDITURE IS NOT SUBJECT TO SUPERVISION BY

THE ADMINISTRATION. THERE ARE SEVEN OTHER SPONSORING ORGANISATIONS, ALL FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WHICH HAVE ALSO CONTRIBUTED DOLLARS 50,000 APIECE.

2. THE PRIME PURPOSE OF THE SURVEY IS TO PRODUCE A READING OF

PUBLIC OPINION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE. THE DECISION

WHETHER TO PUBLISH THE FINDINGS RESTS WITH THE SPONSORS BUT THIS

IS UNLIKELY TO TAKE PLACE UNTIL AFTER THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE HAS

REPORTED ITS FINDINGS.

3. THE INVOLVEMENT OF UMELCO HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED IN LOW KEY BY SOME PAPERS BUT HAS NOT, TO DATE, BEEN THE SBUJECT OF ANY COMMENT. HOWEVER, THE FACT THAT PUBLIC FUNDS HAVE HELPED TO FINANCE THE SURVEY MAY TOUCH, ON CHINESE SENSITIVITIES AND BE SEEN BY SOME AS BEING INCONSISTENT WITH THE STANCE WE HAVE ADOPTED IN MONITORING REACTION TO THE AGREEMENT. IF QUESTIONED ABOUT THIS WE INTEND TO SAY THAT IT IS FOR UMELCO AND NOT THE ADMINISTRATION TO DECIDE ON EXPENDITURE ON ITEMS THAT FALL WITHIN THE AMBIT OF ITS VOTE,

THAT THE DECISION TO SPONSOR THE SURVEY WAS TAKEN BY UMELCO ACTING ON ITS OWN INITIATIVE AND THAT, ON SUCH FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT MATTERS AS THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, UMELCO HAS A RIGHT AND DUTY TO

ASCERTAIN THE STATE OF PUBLIC OPINION.

171

YOU DE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER) PS

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR W HARD ING

SIR J FREELAND MR BOYD

CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES TO:(VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET

OFFICE

MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE

SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR P CRADOCK, ROOM K195