UNCLASSIFIED
pr.R. Presupata
143456 MDLIAN 8763
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2522
OF 161043Z OCTOBER 92
INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA
Why not?
HONG KONG FUTURE: PRESS COVERAGE: (8-16.10)
SUMMARY
1.
BLANKET COVERAGE ACCORDED TO THE POLICY ADDRESS BY THE GOVERNOR IN LEGCO. THE AIRPORT WAS ALSO FEATURED.
POLICY ADDRESS
2. MOST HEADLINES NOTED (8.10) PLANS FOR POLITICAL REFORMS WHICH WOULD BRING ABOUT GREATER DEMOCRACY IN HK. MEASURES TO BOOST WELFARE AND EDUCATION WERE ALSO WIDELY NOTED. A NUMBER OF REPORTS LED WITH THE PROPOSAL TO SEPARATE EXCO AND LEGCO. REACTIONS AND COMMENTARIES ON THE PART OF THE SPEECH ON PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOOD AND ECONOMIC MEASURES WERE GENERALLY FAVOURABLE WHILE VIEWS WERE DIVIDED ON POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT. THE PRO-CHINA PRESS CRITICISED THE GOVERNOR FOR INTRODUCING MAJOR CHANGES TO HK'S POLITICAL STRUCTURE. SEVERAL INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT A NEW ROUND OF CONTROVERSY BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN OVER CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THE ENGLISH PRESS
PRAISED THE GOVERNOR'S INITIATIVES.
3. THE STATEMENT OF NCNA HOURS AFTER THE SPEECH WAS PROMINENTLY NOTED (8.10). THE STATEMENT SAID DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD, ANY MAJOR CHANGES TO HK'S POLITICAL SYSTEM, WHICH MIGHT RESULT IN THE WEAKENING OF THE EXECUTIVE-LED ADMINISTRATIVE CAPABILITY, WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF THE SPIRIT OF THE JD. AS FAR AS THE QUESTION OF THE 1995 ELECTION WAS CONCERNED, IT WAS ONLY REASONABLE TO MAKE A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT AFTER A CONSENSUS WAS REACHED BY BOTH SIDES THROUGH NEGOTIATION. THE STATEMENT SAID IT WAS EXTREMELY IRRESPONSIBLE AND IMPRUDENT FOR THE BRITISH SIDE TO UNILATERALLY MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE FORM OF PROPOSALS, AND DISREGARD THE VIEWS PUT FORWARD BY THE CHINESE SIDE IN A SOLEMN MANNER. THE CHINESE SIDE SHOULD NOT BE BLAMED FOR ANY OPEN ARGUMENTS CAUSED BY THE MOVE.
4. THE MEDIA NOTED (8.10) THE GOVERNOR'S REACTION TO THE NCNA'S STATEMENT: THAT AS THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT MATTER IT WOULD BE
BETTER DEALT WITH IN A SPIRIT OF FRANKNESS AND OPENNESS.
1
PAGE UNCLASSIFIED
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