TNAG-2267-FCO40-3264-Labour-Party-policy-on-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 6

Rels w. Parliament: Cadour

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

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PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS HKD, FROM GOVERNOR HKGO PERSONAL FOR YAXLEY

VISITS TO HONG KONG BY BRITISH MPS:

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MR. ADAM INGRAM MP, PARLIAMENTARY PRIVATE SECRETARY TO MR. NEIL KINNOCK MP, VISITED HONG KONG ON A SPONSORED VISIT FROM 8-14 SEPTEMBER. HE DID NOT MAKE ANY PUBLIC STATEMENTS DURING HIS VISIT. IT WAS MR. INGRAM'S FIRST VISIT TO HONG KONG AND HE SEEMED VERY IMPRESSED AND INTERESTED IN WHAT HE SAW. DURING A MEETING WITH ME, HE SAID THAT IF THE LABOUR PARTY CAME TO POWER AT THE NEXT ELECTION, THEY WOULD TRY TO RESPOND TO DEMANDS FOR MORE DEMOCRACY. THEY WOULD WISH ALSO TO HAVE A GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN HONG KONG, BUT THIS WOULD ONLY BE POSSIBLE IF THE LATTER DID NOT TAKE A REACTIONARY APPROACH TO DEMOCRACY. HE HAD FOUND THE ATTITUDE OF SOME OF THE BUSINESS PEOPLE WHOM HE HAD MET WORRYING. MR. INGRAM ALSO SAID THAT HE HOPED THAT DEMOCRACY WOULD NOT CATAPULT HONG KONG INTO CONFRONTATION WITH THE PRC. HE WOULD ENCOURAGE HONG KONG POLITICIANS TO BEHAVE

RESPONSIBILITY.

2. I SAID THAT IF LABOUR CAME TO POWER, HONG KONG WOULD BE ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THEY WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH. IT WOULD BE GOOD IF MR. KINNOCK HAD BEEN ABLE TO VISIT HONG KONG. THIS WAS A POINT I HAD MADE TO PREVIOUS LABOUR PARTY VISITORS. BUT IT WAS NOW, I ASSUMED UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT HIM TO COME IN THE RUN-UP TO AN ELECTION. MR. INGRAM SAID THAT A NUMBER OF LABOUR MPS HAD RECENTLY VISITED HONG KONG, INCLUDING MR KAUFMAN. HE THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE FAIRLY WELL IN TOUCH WITH DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG, BUT RECOGNISED THAT IF AND WHEN THEY CAME TO POWER, THERE WOULD BE A NECESSARY LEARNING PROCESS TO GO DOWN. I SAID THAT IF MR. KINNOCK WOULD FIND IT USEFUL TO SEE ME WHEN I WAS NEXT IN LONDON, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO CALL. BUT I WOULD UNDERSTAND IF THIS WAS NOT CONVENIENT. IN ANY CASE I HOPED TO SEE MR. KAUFMAN.

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