FRUM 852 5 8541695
NOTE FOR FILE
Po Policy
[NOT PASSED BY C.O.
6.15.1989
8: 34
P. 1
125
ILEMSE COPY TO FOREIGN SECRETARY
AND HOUSE OF COLIMDALE
POREEN APATKA
30111**
MED BOL!!
RECE
14 JUNE 1989
LAST NIGHT THERE WAS SHOWN ON HONGKONG TELEVISION AREA 1889 THE PREVIOUS
EVENING'E BEC PANORAMA' WHICH FEATUFI) ŠTÚDIO AUDIENCES IN LONDON ANDY HONGKONG, AS WELL AS SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, THE BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY .
FUTURE,
EN THREADS
IS HI
THE BACKGROUND IS THE INCREASED WORRY AMONG HONGKONG PEOPLE ABOUT T BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE RECENT TRAGIC EVENTS IN PEKING. THERE ARE TW TO TIE DISCUSSIONG TAKING PLACE AMONG HƠNCKONG PEOPLE CURRENTLY, QUESTION WHETHER THE SINO-BRITISH DECLARATION AS TO THE FUTURE OF HONGKONG AFTER 1997 IS WORTHY OF RELIANCE. THE OTHER IS WHETHER THE BRITISH WILL BY WAY OF INSURANCE ISSUE ENTRY VISAS TO HONGKONG PEOPLE FLEEING FROM TOTALITARTAN VIOLENCE IN 1997. MUCH OF THE 'PANORAMA' DISCUSSION WAS TAKEN UP WITH THE SECOND QUESTION (WHILE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE QUESTION CANNOT BE DENIED, THERE IS STRONG FEELING AMONG HONGKONG PEOPLE THAT THEY REALLY WANT TO STAY IN HONGKUMC F THAT CAN BE MADE POSSIBLE, SO THAT THE FIRST QUESTION IS NO LESS IMPORTANT.)
IN THE COURSE OF THE DISCUSSION, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY WAS HEARD TO SAY THAT THE JOINT DECLARATION (TO WHICH HE DECLARED HIS ADHERENCE IN TH I D'ATE AFTERMATH OF THE MASS MURDERS) HAD MET WITH "UNIVERSAL ACCEPTANCE", C、 WORL] ") THAT EFFECT,
1
THE UNI ERSE CERTAINLY INCLUDES HONGKONG, 90 THAT WHAT SIR GEÜBEREY SAID WB-
*NSISTENT with whÅT MÅD BEEN PUT IN A LETTER TO THE WASHINGTON TIMBO DY BRITAIN'S AMBASSADOR TO WASHINGTON, WHO CLAIMED THAT MOST OF THE PFOPLE OF HONGKONG FOUND TE SINO-BRITISH DECLARATION ACCEPTABLE.
BOTH THE FOREIGN ŠE'RETARY AND THE AMBASSADÓR ARE GUILTY OF WHAT A GREAT MAN USED TO CALL. TERMINOLOGICAL INEXACTITUDE. IF BY ANY CHANCE THE FOREIGN SECRETARY REPEATS IT IN FRONT OF THE SELECT COMMITTE, HE OUGHT TO BE PUT TO STRICT PROOF.
TIE TAUAN IS THAT THERE WAS NO IKERBOØION OF OPINION BY HONGKONG PEOPLEL THE DEAL THAT LONDON AND FEKING WERF HATCHING AFTWEEN THEM. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HID FROM THE PUBLIC WHAT IT WAS DOING. THE PROPLE HAD NO CHOICE ÖVER MIAT, BY THE TIME ANAMLING VY) NOVI LID), WAD A IWIT NOGOMALI.
THERE IS AT PRESENT A SELECT COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS SITTING IN REVIEW OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TIE JOINT DECT ARATION. ITS TERMS OF REFERENCE MAY NOT FIRMIT IT TO QUESTION THE PROPRIETY OF T. 2 DECLARATION IN ME FIRST PLACE BUT EVIN SO IT MAY PERHAPS BY WAY OF OBITER DICTUM WISH TO COMMENT ON THE CRIMINAL IRRESPONSIBILITY OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN DOING A DEAL WITH AN ADMINISTRATION THAT INCLUDED A GAN, OF HOMICIDAL MEGALOMANIACS.
TO BE FAIR TO BRITAIN, IT MUST BE SAID THAT NOT EVEN THE MOST CYNICAL OF ERITAIN'S CRITICS HAD DREAMED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF ANYTHING QUITE SO APPALLING AS TIE RECENT EVENTS; BUT THAT IS A QUESTION OF DECREE, NOT OF PRINCIPLE. THE FEROCITY, IN THE PRESENT INSTANCL, OF trin Peracunki GOVERNMENT'S DISDAIN NA DIE RULE OF LAW WILL, IT IS TO BE HOPED, HAVE AT LEAST ONE BENEFICIAL EFFECT, BY DRAWING THE ATTENTION OF 1.DE WORLD TO WHAT WAS IN ANY EVENT À BAD DEAL FROM T
POINT OF VIEW OF HONGKONG PEOPLE.
AS TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECLARATION, WHILE IT MAY UN HÖP. LEGG TO EXTECT A SILK PUNGD FROM A COW'S PAR, THE MOST WONNYING FEATURE OF PROCESS SO FAR VAS BEEN THE DRAFTING OF THE SO-CALLED BASIC LAW. THE DRAFTING 39T IL NOT FINISHED CONTRAST WITH, THE PHILIPPINES WHO GOT THEIR NEW CONS! FINISHED IN ONE YEAR FLAT AFTER THE PEOPLE POWER REVOLUTION. THE HULGKONG WAS PUT INTO THE HANDS OF WHAT WAS LARGELY A BUNCH OF AMATEURS,
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TIÓN
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PSE PASS.
HID
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May Marin
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Enter ope
DAVID PYOTT HONGKONG
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HKB
26 JUN 1989
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