CONFIDENTIAL
163344 MDHIAN 2571
4. HU CONTINUED THAT THIS SERIES OF ACTIVITIES OF THE ALLIANCE COULD NOT BUT AROUSE THE CONCERN OF THE CHINESE SIDE. THEY HAD HEARD THAT THE ALLIANCE PLANNED TO ARRANGE DEMONSTRATIONS ON AN EVEN GREATER SCALE ON 3 AND 4 JUNE. THIS WOULD BE BOUND TO HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON SOCIAL STABILITY IN HONG KONG AND ON HONG KONG/MAINLAND RELATIONS. THE CHINESE SIDE URGED THE BRITISH SIDE TO HONOUR ITS UNDERTAKINGS NOT TO ALLOW HONG KONG TO BECOME A BASE FOR SUBVERSION OF THE MAINLAND AND TO TAKE EFFECTIVE MEASURES TO PREVENT THE ALLIANCE FROM CARRYING OUT ITS PLANNED ACTIVITIES. PREVARICATION ABOUT THE USE OF HONG KONG LAW AS AN EXCUSE FOR INACTIVITY WOULD NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IT WAS NECESSARY TO TAKE PRACTICAL MEASURES TO ENSURE STABILITY.
5. COUNSELLOR EXPRESSED SURPRISE AT HU'S REFERENCE TO PREVARICATION ABOUT THE USE OF HONG KONG LAWS. DID HU MEAN THAT WHEN THE POLITICAL ADVISER HAD SPOKEN OF THE NEED TO ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF HONG KONG, HE WAS PREVARICATING ? RATHER EMBARRASSED, HU REPLIED THAT HE WAS NOT ACCUSING THE POLITICAL ADVISER PERSONALLY OF PREVARICATING, BUT THAT ACTING IN ACCORDANCE WITH HONG KONG LAW WAS AN INADEQUATE EXCUSE FOR
NOT TAKING PRACTICAL MEASURES.
6. COATES THEN MADE THREE POINTS:
(A) NEITHER HMG OR HKG HAD ANY INTENTION OF ALLOWING HONG KONG TO
BECOME A BASE FOR SUBVERSION.
(B) WE WERE GLAD THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NOTED WHAT WE HAD DONE
IN THIS REGARD, E.G. ABOUT THE ''GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY'' AND THE ACTIVITIES OF FOREIGN ORGANISATIONS IN HONG KONG.
(C) THE EXPRESSION OF VIEWS, INCLUDING POLITICAL VIEWS, WAS NOT
(NOT) AN ACT OF SUBVERSION. THE AMBASSADOR AND THE POLITICAL ADVISER HAD ALREADY EXPLAINED THAT IN HONG KONG EVERYONE WAS EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW. THE LAW IMPOSED RESTRICTIONS ON BOTH THE PEOPLE AND THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG. IF HKG TOOK ACTIONS WHICH WERE CHALLENGED IN COURT AND FOUND TO BE ILLEGAL, SUCH ACTIONS WOULD HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON SOCIAL STABILITY, PARTICULARLY IF THE HKG WAS PERCEIVED TO HAVE ACTED AT THE CPG'S BEHEST.
7. COATES UNDERTOOK TO REPORT CAREFULLY WHAT HU HAD SAID. BOTH SIDES HAD BEEN OVER THE GROUND SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE AND SHOULD BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT HKG COULD AND COULD NOT DO UNDER
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