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FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELNO 2789
OF 0904OOZ SEPTEMBER 91
INFO PRIORITY BTC HONG KONG HKGO LONDON
HKGO PERSONAL FOR YAXLEY
VISITS TO HONG KONG KONG BY BRITISH MPS: GERALD KAUFMAN
FROM OUR POINT OF VIEWS MR KAUFMAN'S VISIT DID GO WELL. MR KAUFMAN HIMSELF MADE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT IMPRESSION TO THAT WHICH
HE LEFT AFTER HIS VISIT IN 1989. HE WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLEMENTARY
TO THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HE MET WHERE TWO YEARS AGO HE HAD
BEEN CRITICAL AND EVEN BAD TEMPERED. IN HIS MEETINGS WITH NON-
OFFICIALS HE WAS BALANCED AND CAREFUL, NOTABLY AVOIDING COMMITMENTS TO MAKING CHANGES OF POLICY, IN PARTICULAR ON THE PACE OF DEMOCRACY.
2. FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CS AND DPA IT WAS PLAIN THAT MR KAUFMAN'S MAIN CONCERNS REMAINS FUNDAMENTALLY UNCHANGED. BUT HIS PRESENTATION OF THEM IN MORE PUBLIC CIRCUMSTANCES WAS CAUTIOUS. HE EXPRESSED THE VIEW THAT THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON THE AIRPORT SEEMED TO BE ONE SIDED IN CHINA'S FAVOUR: AND HE
BELIEVED THAT SENDING THE PRIME MINISTER WAS TOO MUCH. HOWEVER HE SAID THAT HE WOULD NOT SAY THIS PUBLICLY. HE UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF THE AIRPORT TO HONG KONG. ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, HE OBVIOUSLY STILL HAS THE OMELCO CONSENSUS (I.E. 30 DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN 1995), IN MIND AS 'A MINIMUM''. HOWEVER HE SAID THAT HE WOULD WISH TO TAKE A LOT OF ADVICE ON THE MATTER, AND IN DISCUSSION WITH MARTIN LEE AND OTHERS HE TROD PRETTY CAREFULLY. HE SAID THAT WHILE THE CHINESE WOULD FIND HIM NO PUSH-OVER AS SECRETARY OF STATE HE DID NOT SEE THE VALUE OF ANTAGONISING THEM JUST FOR THE SAKE OF DOING So.
WILSON
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