TNAG-1896-FCO40-2690-Calls-on-Francis-Maude--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1989 — Page 36

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO

2907

OF 04090OZ SEPTEMBER 89

MS

RESTRICTED

101225

MDHIAN 4178

FOLLOWING FOR HKD FROM POLITICAL ADVISER: OUR TELNO 2891: REQUEST FROM MARTIN LEE

SEPARATELY TO THE APPROACH TO OMELCO REPORTED IN TUR, MARTIN LEE HAS CONTACTED US DIRECTLY,

2. WE RECOMMEND THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE OR MR MAUDE RECEIVE HIM. AS YOU ARE AWARE, MARTIN LEE IS ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT INDEPENDENT POLITICAL FIGURES IN HONG KONG. HE HAS BEEN THE MOST COHERENT CRITIC OF GOVERNMENT BUT IS HIGHLY RATIONAL AND SUSCEPTIBLE TO ARGUMENTS. HE TOLD US LAST SATURDAY, FOR INSTANCE, THAT HE HAS BEEN PERSUADED TO RETURN TO WORK ON THE BASIC LAW, SOMETHING HE WITHDREW FROM AS A POLITICAL GESTURE FOLLOWING JUNE. 4.

2. ALTHOUGH HE DOES NOT WANT TO BE IN LONDON FOR LONG (HE IS GOING TO THE SLD CONFERENCE AT BRIGHTON ON SUNDAY 10 SEPTEMBER), HE COULD PROLONG HIS STAY POSSIBLY TO THE END OF THE WEEK BEGINNING MONDAY 11 SEPTEMBER IF APPOINTMENTS CAN BE MADE. GRATEFUL FOR EARLY ADVICE.

WILSON

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