TNAG-1787-FCO40-2547-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1988 — Page 285

IN

243/5.

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1RESTRICTED

ICER

PA

145326

MDHIAN 3472

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 14110OZ FCO

TELNO 189

OF 14095OZ JANUARY 88

38/HUBC07/2

YOUR TELNO 107 VISIT BY MESSRS SOLEY AND HUGHES.

AGM

(2

сс

to

VR/general

file.

1. THE VISIT TO HONG KONG OF SOLEY AND HUGHES WAS SPONSORED BY AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AND LASTED A WEEK (4 JANUARY TO 10 JANUARY). THE HKG PROGRAMME COVERED 2 DAYS (7 AND 8 JANUARY). THEIR NON-GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME WAS LARGELY HANDLED BY MARTIN LEE

AND CO. WITH PREDICTABLE (AND INDEED PREDICTED) CONTENT.

2. THE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME COVERED VISITS TO VIETNAMESE REFUGEE CAMPS, BRIEFING BY SASI (ON SEC. 27 OF THE PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE AND FILM CENSORSHIP), DCS CON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM), A MEETING WITH OMELCO MEMBERS AND A CALL ON ME. THEY ALSO MET THE CHINESE GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (A PRO. PRC ORGANISATION) AND THE HK GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (PRO. ESTABLISHED BUSINESSES).

3. SOLEY AND HUGHES MADE A NUMBER OF PUBLIC STATEMENTS: TO THE EFFECT THAT SEC. 27 OF PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE SHOULD BE REPEALED: THAT THE UK SHOULD INCREASE HER INTAKE OF VRS FROM HONG KONG: AND THAT THEY SYMPATHISED WITH THE HKG'S POSITION VIS-A-VIS VRS, IN PARTICULAR THE CLOSED CAMPS BUT WISHED TO SEE SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN THEIR MANAGEMENT. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THERE WAS A STRONG CASE

FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS BUT DID NOT IN PUBLIC EXPRESS PERSONAL VIEWS ON TIMING. ALTHOUGH IN PRIVATE THEY GAVE THE IMPRESSION OF FAVOURING EARLY INTRODUCTION.

4. SOLEY AND HUGHES CAME ACROSS AS BALANCED AND FAIR-MINDED

WITH AN UNDERSTANDABLE BIAS TOWARDS LIBERAL VIEWS.

WILSON

YYYY

1

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