TNAG-2597-FCO40-3785-Appointment-of-Chris-Patten-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Ap-1992 — Page 70

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MR PATTEN'S CALLS IN SINGAPORE

MR PATTEN HAD A GOOD AND USEFUL MEETING TODAY WITH PRIME MINISTER GOH CHOK TONG AND SENIOR MINISTER LEE KUAN YEW DURING WHICH FAMILIAR GROUND WAS EXPLORED (RECORDS BY BAG).

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2. AFTER CALL ON LEE KUAN YEW, WITHOUT GIVING US NOTICE, SENIOR MINISTER ISSUED A STATEMENT (TEXT IN MIFT), OSTENSIBLY IN RESPONSE TO PRESSURE FROM THE HONG KONG PRESS.(THEY HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN HERE IN FORCE). MR PATTEN IS PERFECTLY HAPPY WITH THE TERMS OF THE STATEMENT, THOUGH HE WOULD NOT HAVE USED PRECISELY THESE WORDS HIMSELF. LEE KUAN YEW HAD ASSURED US IN A GENERAL WAY THAT HE WAS

ATTEMPTING TO BE HELPFUL.

3. WE GATHER THAT SENIOR MINISTER ALSO GAVE THE BBC SOUTH EAST ASIA CORRESPONDENT AN INTERVIEW YESTERDAY, ARRANGED A MONTH AGO, WHICH TOUCHED ON HONG KONG. THIS MAYBE BROADCAST (RADIO AND T.V.)

AT HOME AND INTERNATIONALLY TODAY.

SEE MIFT.

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SIR J COLES

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