TNAG-1598-FCO40-2191-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1987 — Page 10

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 3269

OF 15170OZ DECEMBER 87

CONFIDENTIAL

KT IN 4

FURB 011/2

LO IN REGISTRY

16 DEC 1987

011/2

055147

MDHOAN 5010

706

STRY

Mirut. Taken

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TOP COPY Q DIST ?

FOLLOWING PERSONAL

705

GOVERNOR FROM HUM, HKD

YOUR TELNO 4729: VISIT BY MARTIN LEE DELEGATION AND PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE

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I HAVE SPOKEN TO NEWS DEPARTMENT AND TAKEN THROUGH PARLIAMENTARY CHANNELS. MY CONCLUSION MARTIN LEE VISIT HAD A CERTAIN IMPACT THE HKGO STILL A LITTLE OVERSTATED.

INFORMAL SOUNDINGS

IS THAT WHILE THE ASSESSMENT IS

BUT

2. I WOULD NOT DESCRIBE THE MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE VISIT AS EXTENSIVE. THE WALKOUT, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS BARELY REPORTED. IT IS SOMETHING OF AN ACHIEVEMENT TO HAVE SECURED LEADERS OR SUBSTANTIAL FEATURE ARTICLES IN 4 OUT OF THE FIVE SERIOUS DAILIES. AS YOU KNOW, HOWEVER, PRESS INTEREST IS VERY FICKLE, AND IT HAS NOW MOVED ON TO FOCUS ON OTHER ISSUES.

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WHERE REACTIONS AMONG PARLIAMENTARIANS ARE CONCERNED, MARTIN LEE MET LESS THAN 30 MPS AND PEERS IN ALL. THE RESPONSE SEEMS TO HAVE DIVIDED ON PARTY LINES. THE CONSERVATIVES, MANY OF WHOM KNOW HONG KONG WELL, WERE INCLINED TO QUESTION LEE'S ASSERTIONS ABOUT BROKEN COMMITMENTS AND THE TRUE STATE OF HONG KONG OPINION. THE ASSESSMENT ON THAT SIDE IS THAT IN HIS MEETING WITH THE BRITISH HONG KONG PARLIAMENTARY GROUP LEE LOST ON POINTS. NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS HAD BEEN CAREFULLY PRIMED BY US IN ADVANCE.) HE DID HOWEVER STRIKE A CHORD WITH A NUMBER OF LABOUR BACKBENCHERS, EITHER BECAUSE THEY HAD LONG SUPPORTED QUOTE DEMOCRACY UNQUOTE IN HONG KONG OR WERE LOOKING FOR A STICK WITH WHICH TO BEAT THE GOVERNMENT.

(A

4. HOWEVER I DOUBT WHETHER LEE MADE MANY FRESH CONVERSIONS EVEN HERE. TO DATE I HAVE SEEN NO LETTERS FROM MPS, NO PQS, NO EARLY DAY MOTIONS AND NO REQUESTS FOR AN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. THE CRUCIAL QUESTION IS WHETHER THE VISIT HAD ANY IMPACT ON THE LABOUR FRONT BENCH. SUCH LITTLE EVIDENCE AS WE HAVE SO FAR SUGGESTS THAT THEIR APPROACH TO NEXT MONTH'S DEBATE REMAINS LOW KEY. BUT THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS PLANNING A GENERAL TALK WITH MR KAUFMAN BEFORE CHRISTMAS, AND I SHALL LET YOU KNOW IF ANYTHING TRANSPIRES.

5. MINISTERS WILL CERTAINLY WISH TO CONDUCT BRIEFING OF BACK BENCHERS BEFORE THE DEBATE, BUT THIS WILL HAVE TO TAKE PLACE MUCH

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