TNAG-1623-FCO40-2237-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1987 — Page 9

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CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 3626

OF 26014OZ SEPTEMBER 87

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

Has 020|1

C9 001 WOW

121120

MDLIAN 8127

TOP Q DIS

172

APPROACH BY NCNA: PRO-DIRECT ELECTION RALLY

SUMMARY

1. JI SHAOXIANG ASKED TO CALL ON POLITICAL ADVISER ON 25 SEPTEMBER. HE EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT A RALLY TO BE HELD ON 27 SEPTEMBER SHOULD NOT (NOT) GET OUT OF HAND OR LEAD TO ''UNTOWARD INCIDENTS''.

DETAIL

2. JI SHAOXIANG OF NCNA ASKED TO CALL AT SHORT NOTICE ON CLIFT THIS AFTERNOON. HE HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED BY NCNA TO DISCUSS A LARGE MEETING PLANNED FOR SUNDAY 27 SEPTEMBER IN VICTORIA PARK ORGANISED BY 'DEMOCRATIC ACTIVISTS' ' (THE ORGANISERS ARE THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE PROMOTION OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT.) NCNA HAD LEARNED THAT THIS WOULD BE A BIG RALLY. THEY FULLY UNDERSTOOD FEELINGS AND WISHES OF CERTAIN HONG KONG RESIDENTS WHO WANTED DEMOCRACY AND DIRECT ELECTIONS, PERHAPS IN 1988. THESE WERE SUBJECTS WHICH COULD BE DISCUSSED AMONGST POLITICAL GROUPS IN A CALM WAY. ON THE BASIS OF THE PROGRAMME FOR THE RALLY THE CHINESE SIDE HAD CERTAIN WORRIES. BRTAIN AND CHINA HAD SOLVED MANY ISSUES THROUGH A SPIRIT OF CO-OPERATION. JI SAID THAT THIS MEETING APPEARED NOT (NOT) TO BE IN CONFORMITY WITH SUCH A SPIRIT. NOR DID IT ACCORD WITH THE WISHES OF MANY HONG KONG PEOPLE FOR PROBLEMS TO BE DISCUSSED IN CALM AND HARMONY.

3.

JI HOPED THAT THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES WOULD STRENGTHEN MEASURES AT THE SCENE TO PREVENT UNEXPECTED EVENTS AND TO CONTROL THE NUMBERS OF PARTICIPANTS. IF TOO MANY PEOPLE WERE PRESENT, THE SITUATION COULD BECOME EXPLOSIVE AND GET OUT OF CONTROL. SOME OF THE ORGANISERS HAD SAID THAT THERE WOULD BE NO CONFRONTATION

RALLY. IF SO, THAT WOULE BE FINE

OR SERIOUS DISPUTES AT THE BUT HE HAD TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO MIGHT HOLD EXTREME OPINIONS COULD DISTURB THE RALLY. IN SUCH A CASE, THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES SHOULD TAKE THE NECESSARY ACTION.

4. CLIFT REPLIED THAT HE WAS GLAD THAT NCNA UNDERSTOOD THAT THE

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