TNAG-1601-FCO40-2194-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1987 — Page 215

792

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 30O9OOZ FCO

TELNO 4952

OF 30095OZ DECEMBER 87

CONFIDENTIAL

HRB 011/0

RECE VEL

INDER

11 JAN 1938

PERSONAL FOR PRIVATE SECRETARY FROM GOVERNOR

YOUR TELNO 3371: MR MARTIN LEE

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106045

MDHIAN 1944

TOP COPY O DIST ?

I UNDERSTAND THE POLITICAL NEED FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO BE SEEN TO BE PREPARED TO LISTEN TO MARTIN LEE IF HE COMES BACK TO LONDON. I HAVE NO STRONG OBJECTION TO THIS BUT THE IMPLICATIONS NEED TO BE CONSIDERED CAREFULLY.

2. FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO SEE MARTIN LEE WOULD OF COURSE BE A CONSIDERABLE BOOST TO THE LATTER'S REPUTATION AND

IT TO THE CREDIBILITY OF HIS DELEGATION'S VISIT TO LONDON. WOULD ALSO RAISE LOCAL PERCEPTIONS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HIS LOBBYING TACTICS (SO FAR THE LOCAL PRESS AND PUBLIC OPINION HAVE GIVEN THE RECENT TRIP TO LONDON RELATIVELY LITTLE ATTENTION). AS YOU KNOW THE ESSENTIAL EMOTIONAL POINT HE IS AT PRESENT USING TO PUT ACROSS HIS CASE IN PUBLIC IS A STRONG ATTACK ON THE INTEGRITY OF BOTH HMG AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT THEREFORE IN THE INTERESTS OF BALANCE THAT, IF THE SECRETARY OF STATE SEES MARTIN LEE, HE SHOULD ALSO BE PREPARED TO SEE OTHER MEMBERS OF LEGCO HOLDING DIFFERENT VIEWS IF THEY ASK TO CALL ON HIM. INDEED I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO SEE SOMEBODY FROM A DIFFERENT CAMP SOON AFTER, OR BEFORE SEEING LEE. I RECOGNISE THAT THIS COULD MEAN A CONSIDERABLE

I AM AFRAID THIS IMPOSITION ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S TIME. WOULD BE UNAVOIDABLE. IT WOULD NOT BE RIGHT FOR MARTIN LEE TO BE SEEN IN HONG KONG TO HAVE ACCESS DENIED TO OTHER MEMBERS OF

LEGCO.

·

3. EVEN THOUGH I WOULD NOT WISH, FROM A RECOGNITION OF THE POLITICAL PRESSURES IN LONDON, TO SEEK TO ARGUE TOO STRONGLY AGAINST THE SECRETARY OF STATE SEEING MARTIN LEE ON A FUTURE VISIT I AM DOUBTFUL ABOUT THE WISDOM OF INCLUDING A NEAR

IT IS HIGHLY COMMITMENT TO DO SO IN LORD GLENARTHUR'S LETTER.

AND CERTAIN LIKELY THAT THE LETTER AS A WHOLE WILL BE PUBLISHED THAT THIS PART WOULD BE. IT WOULD BE TAKEN HERE AS A VICTORY FOR LEE AS A DIRECT RESULT OF LOBBYING ANTAGONISTICALLY IN THE UK. IT WOULD ALSO BE LIKELY TO ENCOURAGE HIM TO PAY ANOTHER VISIT.

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