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CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 081
OF 09052OZ JANUARY 87
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
See 5
2011
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
19 JAN 1987
See
o
See (11
PUBLIC MEETING IN SUPPORT OF THE DEMOCRACY IN CHINA CAMPAIGN
WE HAVE RECEIVED AN APPLICATION FOR A PUBLIC MEETING IN
VICTORIA PARK AT 15.00 HOURS ON 11 JANUARY. THE APPLICATION WAS
SUBMITTED WITH SUFFICIENT NOTICE UNDER THE PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE.
2. THE ORGANISER IS MR. LAU TSZ-LIM WHO IS KNOWN TO THE AUTHORITIES
HERE AS HAVING LEFT-WING SYMPATHIES BUT IS NOT AN ACTIVIST OF ANY
PROMINENCE. HE HAS INFORMED US THAT THE MEETING WILL BE MARSHALLED
BY MEMBERS OF STUDENT ORGANISATIONS AND KAI FONG ASSOCIATIONS.
3. THERE ARE NO SECURITY OBJECTIONS TO THE PROPOSED MEETING.
BUT IT DOES PRESENT SOME OPERATIONAL DIFFICULTIES BECAUSE THE
HONG KONG ISLAND WALK FOR A MILLION IS TAKING PLACE ON THE SAME
DAY. HOWEVER, THERE ARE EVEN MORE PRESSING EVENTS TAKING PLACE.
ON WHAT MIGHT BE ALTERNATIVE DATES (10 OR 18 JANUARY). WE HAVE
CONCLUDED THEREFORE THAT THE LEAST UNSUITABLE DATE IS THE ONE
PROPOSED BY THE APPLICANT.
4. IN PRACTICE WE DO NOT HAVE TO APPROVE THE MEETING IN WRITING:
WE ARE MERELY REQUIRED TO NOTIFY THE APPLICANT IF WE DO NOT (NOT)
APPROVE OF THE MEETING. FAILURE TO NOTIFY THE APPLICANT FOUR DAYS
BEFORE THE EVENT IS TAKEN AS APPROVAL.
5.
IT WOULD BE A VERY SERIOUS MATTER TO DISALLOW THIS PUBLIC
MEETING, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CHINESE HAVE BEEN PERMITTING DEMONSTRATIONS ON THE SAME SUBJECT. THE CHINESE ATTITUDE SEEMS
TO HAVE BEEN LENIENT AND IT WOULD BE SEEN HERE AS BOWING TO
CHINESE PRESSURE IF WE WERE TO REFUSE PERMISSION FOR THE MEETING.
IN ANY EVENT, BARRING A SUDDEN DETERIORATION IN THE SITUATION IN
CHINA OVER THE NEXT FEWS DAYS, WE DO NOT THINK THAT MR. LAU WILL
ATTRACT A LARGE AUDIENCE.
Confidential
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