TNAG-2054-FCO40-2932-Political-activism-accusations-of-subversion-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 32

CONFIDENTIAL

063116

MDHIAN 2232

MY RESPONSE

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3. I SAID THAT WE WERE AWARE OF THE STATEMENT ON 2 MAY BY THE FRENCH ORGANISER THAT THE VESSEL WOULD APPLY TO ENTER HONG KONG. BUT NO SUCH APPLICATION HAD SO FAR BEEN RECEIVED. I THEN WENT ON TO QUOTE THE REMARKS MADE BY THE GOVERNOR IN ANSWER TO PRESS

I SAID THAT QUESTIONS ON 3 MAY (PARA 2 OF HONG KONG TELNO 1440). THE GOVERNOR'S REMARKS CONSTITUTED A CLEAR AND UNEQUIVOCAL

STATEMENT.

4. CHEN SIMPLY COMMENTED THAT, WHILE THE CHINESE HAD NOTED EARLIER STATEMENTS MADE BY HKG ON THIS MATTER, HE HAD NOT BEEN AWARE OF THESE LATEST REMARKS. HE PURSUED THE SUBJECT NO FURTHER AND SEEMED CONTENT.

5.

I WAS MOST GRATEFUL FOR THE GOVERNOR'S TIMELY TELEGRAM.

DONALD

YYYY

MAIN

46

LIMITED

HKD

FED

NEWS D

SEAD

N N N N

DISTRIBUTION

46

ECO (E)

PS/MR MAUDE

MR GILLMORE

MR MCLAREN

PAGE 2 CONFIDENTIAL