TNAG-2612-FCO40-3803-International-support-from-European-countries-regarding-the--1992 — Page 29

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more interested. The September 1991 LegCo elections had

brought success for politicians from liberal Parties. These tended to be assertive, critical of Chinese policy

and so posed a significant management problem over the

next few years One of the first tasks after the General

Election would be the appointment of a new Governor.

Both leading parties were thinking of appointing a senior political figure with the background to cope with a more politicised Hong Kong.

4. Sir J Coles hoped that in future contacts with China,

Germany could say that the future of Hong Kong was a

subject in which they were interested, and that Hong

Kong's successful economy could only continue if its

freedoms also continued. This was something that the Japanese, French and others were doing in their contacts

with China. Herr Schlagintweit confirmed that Germany had a clear interest in supporting Hong Kong. When the Chinese Foreign Minister was in Bonn a few weeks ago, the German Minister of State had touched upon those issues;

making the point that if China handled Hong Kong well it

would help the future Taiwan problem. He had said much

the same thing the last time they met in New York.

5. Herr Schlagintweit asked if major obstacles would result from the recent politicisation of Hong Kong. Sir J Coles thought the situation manageable but China remained very suspicious. They alleged that we were

trying to change the situation from an executive to a

legislative-led Government. We told them that the

structure would not change but that the Chinese must take

account of the new situation and help us to manage it. But they seemed to have decided that

the way to approach

cour se was not the

it was through "struggle". This of

best way forward. Herr Schlagintweit commented that the

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