TNAG-2494-FCO40-3626-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1992 — Page 229

RESTRICTED

3/4

83

072636

MOTTAN 1151

Ricketts

Mr Mom's

2

Chi reactions

RESTRICTED

FM CANBERRA

TO TELELETTER FCO

TELELETTER NFR

OF 200401Z NOVEMBER 92

AND TO TELELETTER HONG KONG, PEKING

FROM: D G BLUNT,

TO:

CC:

HKD, FCO

CANBERRA

TCF FLEAR ESQ MVO, SPD, FCO

DPA HONG KONG

CHANCERY PEKING

HKC 012/4

MY TELELETTER OF 16 NOVEMBER: AUSTRALIA-HONG KONG

SUMMARY

DFAT NOT OVER-EXERCISED BY NCNA'S WARNING TO AUSTRALIA TO STEER

CLEAR OF COMMENTS ON HONG KONG

1.

DETAIL

2.

DEVELOPMENTS.

THE PRESS HERE HAS REPORTED THAT NCNA HAVE RELAYED TO THE AUSTRALIAN CONSUL-GENERAL IN HONG KONG, VIA THE AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THAT ''AUSTRALIA WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO CONSIDER ITS PLACE IN ASIA AND CONTINUE TO DEVELOP GOOD RELATIONS THERE BEFORE

TRYING TO IMPOSE ITS IDEAS ON REGIONAL COUNTRIES.'' THIS IS A FURTHER RESPONSE TO SENATOR EVANS'S SUPPORTIVE COMMENTS ON THE

GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS FOR STRENGTHENING DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURES IN HONG KONG (TLUR).

3. DFAT ARE NOT OVER-EXERCISED BY NCNA'S MESSAGE. THEY NOTED THAT THE MESSAGE WAS NOT DELIVERED DIRECT, BUT VIA THE AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN HONG KONG, AND SEE THIS AS A FURTHER REFLECTION OF BOTH CHINESE ATTEMPTS TO INFLUENCE PUBLIC OPINION IN

HONG KONG ABOUT DEMOCRATIC REFORM AND OF THE WILLINGNESS OF SOME

GROUPS OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG (IN THIS CASE THE AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER

OF COMMERCE) TO BE SEEN TO BE DOING THE RIGHT THING BY CHINA.

4.

DFAT ALSO MADE CLEAR THAT THEY HAD BRIEFED SENATOR EVANS TO BE

ROBUSTLY SUPPORTIVE IN PUBLIC ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS, BUT THAT THE LINE HE HAD TAKEN HAD BEEN A LITTLE (THOUGH NOT MUCH)

STRONGER THAN THAT RECOMMENDED. I SAID WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR

AUSTRALIAN SUPPORT.