TNAG-2494-FCO40-3626-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1992 — Page 196

IMMEDIATE

48 PERCENT

-

PEOPLE WHO WOULD OPPOSE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSALS IF THAT

WOULD MEAN THE THROUGH TRAIN BEING SCRAPPED FROM 19 PERCENT TO

IS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN. EVEN SUPPORTIVE LEGCO

MEMBERS MAY WELL WORRY ABOUT VOTING FOR THE GOVERNOR S PROPOSALS

IF OPINION POLLS ARE SHOWING DEEP PUBLIC ANXIETY ABOUT THE

CONSEQUENCES OF DOING SO.

4.

MANY OPINION POLLS IN HONG KONG ARE UNRELIABLE BECAUSE

THEY ARE BASED ON TINY SAMPLES OR HAVE EXTREMELY LOW RESPONDENT

LEVELS. MANY ARE UNRELIABLE FOR POLITICAL REASONS. IT WOULD BE

HELPFUL TO KNOW WHICH POLLS OR POLLING ORGANISATIONS ARE

RESPECTED IN HONG KONG, IF ANY, AND WHETHER THERE HAVE BEEN ANY

OTHER INDICATIONS THAT PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNOR AND HIS

PROPOSALS HAS REMAINED STEADY WHILST NERVOUSNESS ABOUT THEIR

IMPLEMENTATION HAS BEEN INCREASING.

5. IT WAS FURTHER REPORTED THAT 20 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS HAD

LOST CONFIDENCE DURING THE LAST WEEK AS A RESULT OF CHINESE

HINTS ABOUT THE VIABILITY OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. IT WOULD BE

INTERESTING TO KNOW WHETHER THIS IN YOUR VIEW OVERSTATES THE

LEVEL OF PUBLIC REACTION TO THIS TURN OF EVENTS.

5. WE AGREE THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO EMPHASISE THE CONTINUING

HIGH LEVELS OF PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNOR. BUT WE MUST

AVOID BEING TOO DISMISSIVE ABOUT WHAT MAY WELL BE WIDELY-FELT AND

LEGITIMATE PUBLIC FEARS. A SAFE PUBLIC LINE MIGHT BE TO DOWNPLAY

THE ACCURACY AND IMPORTANCE OF OPINION POLLS WHILST NOTING THAT

WIDER OPINION IN HONG KONG AND THE UK HAS REMAINED FIRMLY BEHIND

THE GOVERNOR AND HIS PROPOSALS.

HURD

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ