TNAG-2105-FCO40-3000-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-Chinese-complaints-abo-1990 — Page 13

CONFIDENTIAL

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000052 MDHIAN 8464

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 705

OF 240530Z FEBRUARY 90

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

HONG

HKL020/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY.........

7. EB 1990

REGISTRY Action Taken

INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG

YRTELNO 429:

4

SK OFFI

FURTHER CHINESE COMPLAINTS ABOUT SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITY IN HONG KONG

1. WE ARE NOT AT ALL SURE THAT THE CHINESE WOULD CONSIDER OMELCO'S STATEMENT OF 16 FEBRUARY AS IN ANY WAY POSITIVE. NOR ARE WE SURE THAT WE SHOULD CONFUSE THE ISSUE OF THE RIGHT TO DEMONSTRATE LEGALLY WITH PARTICULAR REACTIONS TO THE BASIC LAW. WE WOULD THEREFORE PREFER TO OMIT THE SECOND SENTENCE IN PARA 3 OF TUR, TO AMEND THE FIRST SENTENCE TO READ:

AND

OPEN QUOTES HONG KONG PEOPLE ARE FREE TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINION ABOUT THE DRAFT BASIC LAW AS ON ANY OTHER SUBJECT, AND A VARIETY OF VIEWS HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED CLOSE QUOTES.

2. IF THE CHINESE WERE TO RAISE THE LEGCO DEBATE ON THE BASIC LAW, WE SUGGEST THAT PIGOTT SHOULD DRAW ON THE FOLLOWING DEFENSIVE MATERIAL:

OPEN QUOTES WE EXPECT A VARIETY OF VIEWS TO BE EXPRESSED IN THE LEGCO DEBATE, INCLUDING VIEWS BY THOSE WHO WISH TO TAKE A POSITIVE APPROACH TOWARDS THE CHANGES BEING INTRODUCED IN 1991 CLOSE QUOTES.

3. IF THE CHINESE ASK ABOUT THE MCGREGOR MOTION, PIGOTT WILL NEED TO EXPLAIN THAT IT IS FULLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH STANDING ORDERS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL MEMBER TO TABLE A MOTION IF HE WISHES.

WILSON

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