RESTRICTED
143767
MDLIAN 9 3
BRIEF SET-PIECE SPEECH ON THE STATE OF THE NATION. THIS YEAR IT OFFERED THE LAST SUCH FORMAL OCCASION BEFORE THE OPENING OF THE PARTY CONGRESS ON 25 OCTOBER. THE CONTENT OF ZHAO'S REMARKS WAS GENERALLY ENCOURAGING FROM THE REFORMER'S POINT OF VIEW, WITH THE EMPHASIS BEING MUCH MORE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF REFORM POLICIES THAN ON THE QUESTIONS OF IDEOLOGICAL ORTHODOXY SO DEAR TO THE ELDERLY CONSERVATIVES. THIS CONFIRMS THE OTHER SIGNS THAT THE AGREED PLATFORM FOR THE CONGRESS HAS BEEN DESIGNED WITH MANY REFORMIST FEATURES: BUT THE NEED TO BALANCE THE INTERESTS OF DISPARATE GROUPS IS STILL THERE, AND WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT THE CONGRESS TO BE A ONE-SIDED AFFAIR (PARTICULARLY IN THE LIGHT OF THE LATEST DISTURBANCES IN TIBET, WHICH I AM REPORTING SEPARATELY).
EVANS
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
24
ΜΑΙΝ
24
LIMITED
PS/MR EGGAR
FED
MR GILLMORE
HKD
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
MR MCLAREN
NNNN
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