TNAG-1331-FCO40-1758-Future-of-Hong-Kong-test-of-the-acceptability-of-the-Joint-D-1984 — Page 252

GPS360

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 2710OOZ

CONFIDENTIAL-

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HKK 040/46

RECEIVED! REĢIST

2 8 NOV 1984

(264

FM HONG KONG 270935Z NOV 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3620 OF 27 NOVEMBER

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

260)

YOUR TELNO 2349.

DERY *FICER

INDEA

PA

TAL

HONG KONG AGREEMENT : REPORTS OF ASSESSMENT OFFICE AND MONITORING

TEAM

ON 29 NOVEMBER, WE INTEND TO MAKE THE REPORTS AVAILABLE TO THE

PRESS AT 5 PM HK TIME (090OZ), EMBARGOED COPIES WILL BE GIVEN

TO THE MEDIA AT A LOCK-IN SESSION IN THE GIS THEATRE. DURING

THE LOCK-IN SESSION, SHA WILL GIVE A BRIEFING (ATTRIBUTABLE TO

GOVERNMENT SOURCES NOT TO NAMED OFFICIALS) AT 5:30 PM. SHA

WILL DEAL WITH QUESTIONS ALONG THE LINES ON TELEGRAM UNDER

REFERENCE.

2. WE SUGGEST THAT THE ANSWER TO QUESTION E SHOULD INLCUDE A

REFERENCE TO THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

ON THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ON 26 SEPTEMBER. HE SAID : I NOW URGE

EVERYONE IN HK TO READ THESE DOCUMENTS MOST CAREFULLY AND TO COME

FORWARD WITH THEIR VIEWS. IT IS VITAL THAT THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT

SHOULD HAVE THE FULLEST POSSIBLE ACCOUNT OF THE VIEWS OF

HK PEOPLE WHEN THE TIME COMES FOR PARLIAMENT TO CONSIDER THE

MATTER AND TO DECIDE WHETHER THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE

AUTHORISED TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT ON WHICH THE FUTURE WELL-BEING

OF HK'S MORE THAN FIVE MILLION PEOPLE WILL DEPEND.''

3. AS REGARDS QUESTION G, AND THE FIGURE OF 77 PERCENT QUOTED IN

THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ETC., RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED TO

INDICATE THEIR AGREEMENT OR DISAGREEMENT TO THE STATEMENT IT'S

NOT A VERY GOOD AGREEMENT, BUT THE BEST THAT COULD BE EXPECTED

UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES''. THE RESULTS WERE:

AGREE A LOT (17PERCENT): AGREE A LITTLE (60 PERCENT): NEITHER

AGREE NOR DISAGREE (4 PERCENT): DISAGREE A LITTLE (8 PERCENT): DISAGREE A LOT (1 PERCENT): DON'T KNOW (10 PERCENT): SCMP ADDED

UP THE PERCENTAGES OF THE FIRST TWO CATEGORIES TO OBTAIN THE

FIGURE OF 77 PERCENT.

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4. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND POSSIBLE ANSWERS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

A. WHY NOT A REFERENDUM?

THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVED THAT A PROCESS OF CONSULTATION THROUGH THE WELL DEVELOPED CHANNELS FAMILIAR TO HK PEOPLE WAS THE BEST WAY

TO OBTAIN AN ASSESSMENT OF THE FULL RANGE AND QUALITY OF

OPINIONS ON THIS COMPLEX MATTER.

CONFIDENTIAL

18.