TNAG-2185-FCO40-3122-Ethnic-minorities-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 169

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MDHIAN 1391

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8. HAD YOU ANTICIPATED THE SWEEPING CHANGES IN THE SOVIET UNION AND EASTERN EUROPE AND ALSO THE PACE AT WHICH THESE CHANGES HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE?

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9. DO YOU THINK PRESIDENT GORBACHEV HAD ANTICIPATED OR WANTED THE CHANGES TO BE AT SUCH A FAST PACE?

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10. IS THERE A DANGER OF A CONSERVATIVE BACKLASH WHICH COULD THREATEN PRESIDENT GORBACHEV'S POSITION AS WELL AS POLITICAL REFORMS IN THE SOVIET UNION? NOW WHEN PRESIDENT GORBACHEV HAS ACQUIRED MORE POWERS, WILL HE GO AHEAD WITH THE REFORMS OR WILL HE SLOW DOWN?

11. WITH SO MUCH UNREST PREVAILING IN ITS REPUBLICS, DO YOU THINK THE SOVIET UNION WILL CRACK UP AS A UNITED COUNTRY?

12. WILL A UNITED GERMANY GUARANTEE PEACEFUL BORDER WITH ITS NEIGHBOURS PARTICULARLY POLAND. ARE BRITAIN AND OTHER ALLIED POWERS GOING TO INSIST ON A TREATY ON THE SANCTITY OF THESE BORDERS OR WILL THE QUESTION BE ALLOWED TO REMAIN OPEN?

13. IS BRITAIN LIKELY TO TAKE UP THE QUESTION OF BERLIN BEFORE THE TWO GERMANIES UNITE?

ECD(E) 14. WITH EAST EUROPE OPENING UP AS A MARKET, WILL BRITAIN AND

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OTHER EUROPEAN NATIONS DILUTE THE FLOW OF INVESTMENT AID AND TECHNOLOGY TO OTHER COUNTRIES SAY IN ASIA?

15. HOW DO YOU VIEW INDO-BRITISH RELATIONS AT THIS TIME?

16. THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE FATE OF 5000 PEOPLE OF INDIAN ORIGIN WHO ARE LIKELY TO BE STATELESS AFTER HONG KONG HAS GONE TO CHINA. IS BRITAIN FINDING ANY SOLUTION TO THIS

PROBLEM?

17. IS BRITAIN FEELING CONCERNED MORE ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA THAN POLITICAL STABILITY IN THAT COUNTRY? HAVE THE EVENTS IN TIANNENMEN SQUARE LAST JUNE AFFECTED BRITAIN'S ATTITUDE TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT?

GOODALL