TNAG-1622-FCO40-2236-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1987 — Page 181

RESTRICTED

6. I DO NOT SHARE SHULTZ'S IMPRESSION THAT DENG AND ZHAO ARE BELEAGURED. (RICKETT'S TELELETTER TO FLETCHER COOKE OF 12 MARCH). SHULTZ'S IMPRESSION MAY TO SOME EXTENT BE BASED ON BRIEFING PY THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR, WINSTON LORD, WHO TAKES A RATHER GLOOMY VIEW OF ZHAO'S ABILITY TO CONTAIN PRESSURE FROM SENIOR CONSERVATIVES TO WIDEN THE SCOPE AND SHARPEN THE TONE OF THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST BOURGEOIS LIBERALISATION. I PREFER THE VIEW OF THE AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR, WHO HAS GOOD SOURCES AND COOL JUDGEMENT, THAT ZHAO IS STEADILY GETTING ON TOP OF THE PARTY MACHINE AND STRENGTHENING HIS AUTHORITY, BOTH THERE AND IN RELATION TO THE CONSERVATIVES. HE DOES NOT SEEM TO ME TO HAVE PUT A FOOT WRONG SINCE 15 JANUARY.

EVANS

YYYY

PEHPAN 4687

LIMITED

FED

MTD

PNSD

NEWSD INFOD RESD

Ps

psl

Ps) MR RENTON PS\PUS

FR GILLMORE

Mr Wilson

COPIES To:

SIR PERADoock, NO 10 ASSESS STAFF, CABINET

PIROW mon

OFFICE

MRR FELLOWES, BUCKING MAT

THIS TELEGRAM

WAS NOT ADVANCED

PALACE

3-

RESTRICTED