TNAG-1357-FCO40-1798-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 129

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SUDDEN AND UNPREDICTABLE PRESS SPECULATION AND CHINESE SUSPICIONS

COULD FORM THE SAME KIND OF EXPLOSIVE MIXTURE WHICH LED TO THE BLOW UP ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. J PENGFE HIMSELF DREW ATTENTION TO THE WAY IN WHICH INNOCENT STATEMENTS OF PRESS SPECULATION

COULD BE MISREAD BY CHINESE LEADERS IN PEKING (PARA 7 OF MY TELNO

2904) THERE IS A RISK THAT CHINESE SUSPICIONS ABOUT OUR INTENTIONS

ON AN INTERNAL SECURITY FORCE COULD CONSTITUTE THE SAME KIND OF

TIME BOMB.

Redacted under FOI Exemptions Sec 27(1)

6. WE SHALL ALSO NEED TO BE ALERT TO SIMILAR SIGNALS IN THE FUTURE:

AND CONSIDER QUICKLY WHETHER AND IF SO ON WHAT CHANNEL WE SHOULD

RESPOND. THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES COMING UP IN THE LEGCO/PUBLIC SERVICE FIELDS (E.G. REVISION OF LEGCOS' RULES OF PROCEDURE AND THE

FORMATION OF AN EXECUTIKYE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION,) WHICH COULD

BE SENSITIVE AND WHICH WILL KN CONSEQUENCE NEED CAREFUL HANDLING.

YOUDE

'HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED

HD/HKD HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

RES » (MR WALKER)

P6

PS/MR RENTON

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS NEWS DEPT

MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVS

MR PEIRCE, A88T STAFF

CABINET OFFICI

MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE

MR DRC CHRISTOPHER

CABINET OFFICE

SIR P CRADDOCK NO. 10 DOWNING ST. MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

PS/PUS

BIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

BIR J FREELAND

MR J CROWLEY PUED

PS/LADY YOUNG

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