TNAG-1598-FCO40-2191-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1987 — Page 12

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 4729

OF 141130Z DECEMBER 87

CONFIDENTIAL

91/2.

705

052153

MDHIAN 0374

HKB onla

PELONED IN REGISTRY

16 DEC 1987

TOP

PA

COPY

PERSONAL FOR HUM. HKD, FROM GOVERNOR

VISIT BY MARTIN LEE DELEGATION TO LONDON AND PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE

ON HONG KONG

1. WE ASKED THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE FOR AN ASSESSMENT OF THE

IMPACT OF THE MARTIN LEE VISIT. THEY HAVE NOTED THE EXTENSIVE MEDIA

COVERAGE THE DELEGATION RECEIVED IN THE UK PRESS DURING ITS VISIT AND

CONCLUDE THAT THE GROUP HAD CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS IN INFLUENCING

OPINION AMONG THE MEDIA AND AMONG MPS.

2. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW WHETHER YOU SHARE THIS

ASSESSMENT.CURIOUSLY ENOUGH, GIVEN MARTIN LEE'S PROMINENCE AND THE PURPOSE OF THE VISIT, THE VISIT RECEIVED GENERALLY LOW-KEY COVERAGE HERE.

3. FOLLOWING THE VISIT WE HAVE BEEN GIVING SOME THOUGHT TO WHAT, IF ANYTHING, WE NEED TO DO TO COUNTER ITS IMPACT IN LONDON IN LIGHT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON HONG KONG NOW SCHEDULED FOR THE NEW YEAR. SOME OF THE PRESS COMMENT SHOWS, NOT SURPRISINGLY, A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE PRACTICALITY OF TRANSFERING WESTMINSTER PROCESSES WHOLESALE TO HONG KONG: LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE REAL

SPLIT IN OPINION HERE ON 1988: AND MUCH MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT HMG

AND THE HKGS SO CALLED BROKEN PROMISES. I ASSUME THAT FCO MINISTERS

WILL BE BRIEFING BACK BENCHERS OF BOTH PARTIES ON THE REALITY OF THE

SITUATION. IT MAY ALSO HOWEVER BE USEFUL FOR THE HKG TO CARRY OUT ITS

OWN PROGRAMME.

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4. OUR ASSESSMENT IS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD NOT EASILY BE

DONE BY THE HKGO, LONDON OFFICE. IF WE ARE TO DO ANY BRIEFING WHICH IS LIKELY TO HAVE AN IMPACT WE SHOULD HAVE TO SEND SOMEBODY FROM HONG KONG TO LONDON IN THE EARLY PART OF JANUARY. I DO NOT THINK THAT

IT WOULD BE RIGHT FOR ME OR THE CS TO GO TO LONDON IN THIS TIME

SCALE. THE PERCEPTION WOULD BE THAT WE WERE BOTH LOBBYING AGAINST

THE 'DEMOCRATS AND SEEKING APPROVAL FOR THE TEXT OF THE WHITE PAPER. DONALD LIAO WILL BE IN LONDON AROUND THAT TIME, BUT I AM NOT SURE THAT HE IS QUITE THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE TASK. ONE OTHER POSSIBILITY THAT COMES TO MIND IS LYDIA DUNN, WHO IS DUE TO BE IN

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CONFIDENTIAL