116
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2912
OF 170948Z DECEMBER 92
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
p.w. R Constit. Derpt
$3+5
172412 MDHIAN 2809
WEEKLY SITUATION REPORT
1. THE PUBLIC MOOD REMAINED CALM OVER THE PAST WEEK. POLLS HAVE SHOWN SUPPORT FOR MY PROPOSALS HOLDING UP FAIRLY WELL (MARGINS OF 2:1). ONE IN ORIENTAL DAILY'S EAST WEEK MAGAZINE ON 17 DECEMBER SHOWS TRUST IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AT 60 PERCENT (COMPARED WITH 53.6 PERCENT DISTRUST OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND 45.5 PERCENT DISTRUST OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT).
2. THERE HAVE BEEN NO NEW CHINESE MEASURES AGAINST HONG KONG ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK. THERE WAS A SLIGHTLY EMOLLIENT CHINA NEWS AGENCY PIECE ON 14 DECEMBER WHICH STATED THAT THE DOOR OF DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND BRITISH SIDES REMAINED OPEN. SPEAKING IN PEKING ON 16 DECEMBER HOWEVER, FOREIGN MINISTER QIAN QICHEN SAID THAT CHINA WOULD NOT MAKE CONCESSIONS OVER ITS ROW WITH BRITAIN ON POLITICAL REFORM SINCE THE ISSUES TOUCHED ON CHINA'S BASIC NATIONAL INTERESTS (NOT DESCRIBED). THERE HAVE BEEN RUMOURS THAT AN ANNOUNCEMENT WILL COME OUT THE THE NPC STANDING COMMITTEE ON 22 DECEMBER, POSSIBLY TO THE EFFECT THAT A 'GOVERNMENT IN WAITING' WILL BE ESTABLISHED. WE ARE TELEGRAPHING SEPARATELY WITH A PROPOSED CONTINGENCY STATEMENT AGAINST THIS EVENTUALITY.
3. LEE KUAN YEW VISITED HONG KONG THIS WEEK. ON THREE OCCASIONS HE MADE MOST UNHELPFUL STATEMENTS, CLAIMING THAT MY PROPOSALS WERE PART OF AN AMERICAN PLOT TO BRING DEMOCRACY TO CHINA, HE DUBBED YOU AND THE PRIME MINISTER IN THE LEAD ROLES ON THE BRITISH SIDE AND I GOT THE SPOKESMAN'S ROLE. THIS FANCIFUL THEORY HAS OF COURSE BEEN MUSIC TO PEKING'S EARS, WHERE WE KNOW THAT SIMILAR IDEAS ARE IN THE MIND OF DENG XIAOPING. THE COMMUNIST PRESS HAS LAUDED LEE'S VIEWS, STATING THAT HE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. (NO MENTION OF 'INTERNATIONALISATION' IN THIS CASE.) WE ARE REPORTING LEE'S REMARKS IN A SEPARATE TELEGRAM MORE FULLY AND RECOMMENDING ACTION TO HELP DISSIPATE THE DAMAGE.
4. THE STOCK EXCHANGE CLOSE ON 17 DECEMBER AT 5329 POINTS, DOWN
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.