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4. VARIOUS COMMENT OF HONG KONG BASED COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE
REPORTED IN THE CHINESE PRESS INCLUDING THOSE OF MARIA TAM WHO SAID
THAT MEMBERS WERE FREE TO MIR THEIR VIEWS THOUGH CAME HERE
TO SPEAK COMPLETELY FOR HONG KONG RESIDENTS'. SHE ADDED THAT ''WE
ARE TRULY EXERCISING OUR RIGHTS NOT SITTING AS DECORATIVE VASES
AS SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE. CAME AS AN INDIVIDUAL. AS
SUCH HOPE THAT HONG KONG'S PRESENT SYSTEM WILL REMAIN EVEN AFTER
1997. # FRMLY OPPOSE A CONTINUATION OF BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY OVER
.THE REGION AND THINK 95 PER CENT OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS HOLD
THE SAME OPINION.''
5. WE DELIBERATLELY DID NOT APPROACH THE HONG KONG-BASED
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON THIS OCCASION, NO HONG KONG MEMBER CONTACTED
THE EMBASSY WHILE THE GROUP WERE HERE. WE UNDERSTAND FROM THE ECONOMIST CORRESPONDENT, WHO BY CHANCE MET ONE (UNNAMED) HONG KONG BASED COMMITTEE MEMBER, THAT THESE MEMBERS HAD RECEIVED LITTLE ADVANCE WARNING OF THE DATES OF THE FIRST MEETING AND NO ADVANCE
INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR WISHT PROGRAMME OR AGENDA FOR THE DISCUSSIONS.
THOMSON
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
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
MR J CROWLEY, PUSD
Z
COPIES TO:(VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
OFFICE CABINET OFFICE MR DR C CHRISTOPHER. CABINET OFF.
MR MALLABY
SIR P CRADDOCK, No. 10 DOWNING ST.
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