TNAG-1719-FCO40-2399-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 250

SECRET

SECRET

TOP COPY

128

Q DIT ?

HKB Oil

066063

MDHIAN 7542

FM HONG

KONG

TO DESKBY 12110OZ FCO

TELNO 632

OF 12103OZ FEBRUARY 88

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

(126)

PERSONAL FOR HUM, HKD, FROM GOVERNOR

YOUR TELNO 381: REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: WHITE PAPER

I WAS SORRY TO SEE THAT,

SEE THAT, DESPITE ALL YOUR EFFORTS, THE WHITE PAPER DID NOT RECEIVE A GOOD PRESS IN THE UK. TO A CERTAIN

EXTENT I SUPPOSE THIS WAS PREDICTABLE. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT MARTIN LEE'S MESSAGE HAS GONE DOWN VERY WELL WITH THE UK MEDIA, WHO DO NOT REALLY HAVE THE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE A MORE

ANALYTICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION IN HK.

2. WE ARE CONSIDERING OURSELVES WHAT WE CAN DO IMMEDIATELY AND IN THE LONGER TERM TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM. TWO MAIN AREAS ARE

LIKELY TO BE INCREASED BRIEFING OF THE UK PRESS BY THE HKGO LONDON, AND INCREASED USE OF UNOFFICIALS TO MEET THE MEDIA WHEN THEY ARE IN THE UK. WE SHALL OF COURSE CONTINUE TO USE MYSELF AND OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FOR THIS PURPOSE WHEN THIS IS POSSIBLE, BUT WE REALISE THE LIMITED EFFECT OF THIS.

3. I WAS CONCERNED BY YOUR JUDGEMENT THAT THERE IS NO LONGER

ANY PARLIAMENTARY CONSENSUS ON HK. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW

IF THIS ASSESSMENT HOLDS GOOD AFTER THE IMMEDIATE DUST HAS SETTLED.

I ACCEPT THAT HMG'S POLICY WILL IN FUTURE COME UNDER CLOSER SCRUTINY BY THE OPPOSITION. HOWEVER, OUR IMPRESSION HERE TODAY IS THAT THE OPPOSITION HAVE DECIDED NOT TO PURSUE THE QUESTION

OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988. IN THE SHORT TERM, AT LEAST, THIS WOULD CERTAINLY BE HELPFUL.

4. I ENTIRELY AGREE THAT WE CAN EXPECT MEDIA AND PARLIAMENTARY

INTERESST TO FOCUS NEXT ON THE PUBLICATION OF THE DRAFT BASIC LAW, AND THAT THIS LIKELY TO BE MARTINE LEE'S NEXT CAMPAIGN. I ALSO

AGREE THAT IT FOLLOWS FROM THIS THAT OUR FORTHCOMING EXCHANGES

WITH THE CHINESE ON THE FIRST SARG ACQUIRE EVEN GREATER SIGNIFICANCE

AND THAT WE MUST PUT A PAPER TO THEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE

ARE DRAFTING SUCH A PAPER NOW AND WILL DISCUSS THIS AT AN INTERNAL

MEETING ON 16 FEBRUARY. WE WILL AIM TO TELEGRAPH A DRAFT TO YOU

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THEREAFTER.

PAGE

SECRET

1