RESTRICTED
нко 021/3
17"
072531
MDTTAN 1099
RESTRICTED
FM WASHINGTON
TO TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER NFR
OF 210035Z NOVEMBER 92
AND TO TELELETTER HONG KONG, PEKING
FROM: SD PATTISON, WASHINGTON
TO:
P RICKETTS ESQ, HONG KONG DEPARTMENT, FCO
CC:
S BRADLEY ESQ, HONG KONG CHANCERY PEKING
U.S./HONG KONG
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1.
ON 16 NOVEMBER STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN WAS ASKED WHETHER THE U.S. SUPPORTED THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS FOR MORE DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG. HE REPLIED QUOTE WE OBVIOUSLY SUPPORT DEMOCRACY. WE HAVE SEEN GOVERNOR PATTEN'S PROPOSALS. WE THINK THEY ARE USEFUL. IN TERMS OF ENGENDERING THE DEBATE AND DISCUSSION WITHIN HONG KONG WE
THINK THAT IS A PRODUCTIVE AND POSITIVE PROCESS UNQUOTE. ASKED IF THE U.S. WOULD THROW ITS WEIGHT BEHIND THE PACKAGE, HE SAID HE
WOULD NEED TO LOOK INTO IT.
2"
-
HONG KONG
I SUBSEQUENTLY SPOKE TO STATE TO SAY THAT I THOUGHT THEIR
SPOKESMAN'S REMARKS RATHER LUKE-WARM. I WAS PARTICULARLY STRUCK BY
HIS REFERENCE TO QUOTE ENGENDERING DEBATE AND DISCUSSION WITHIN
HONG KONG UNQUOTE. STATE (KELLY
THAT THAT WAS THE SPOKESMAN'S OWN INVENTION.
STATE'S USUAL PRESS BRIEFING ON THE SUBJECT. THAT THE U.S. STRONGLY SUPPORTED THE CALL FOR DEMOCRACY, AND THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS REPRESENTED A CONSTRUCTIVE APPROACH.
3.
DESK) SAID AT ONCE
IT DID NOT APPEAR IN
THE OFFICIAL LINE WAS
J
SHE ADDED EMPHASISING THAT SHE WOULD NOT WANT HER REMARKS TO
BE REPORTED THAT IN DEVISING A PRESS LINE U.S OFFICIALS WERE CONCERNED THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE TOO FULSOME IN THEIR PRAISE IN CASE THIS BACKED THE GOVERNOR INTO A CORNER SHOULD HE (OR LEGCO)
DECIDE TO MODIFY HIS PROPOSALS IN ANY WAY.
4.
MEANWHILE, YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED TO KNOW THAT THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ON 20 NOVEMBER PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE URGING THE
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