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INFO IMMEDIATE SINGAPORE, PEKING, WASHINGTON
INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
par lut support.
22/12 hist.
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YOUR TELNOS 2940 AND 2941 (NOT TO BTC): LEE KUAN YEW'S VIEWS ON HONG KONG AND CHINA
1. Masefield (AUS) has now telephoned the acting Singapore High Commissioner to place on record our concern about Lee Kuan Yew's comments.
2.
Masefield emphasised that it was not the case that your proposals were drawn up in consultation with the Americans or anyone else: that we remained keen to discuss the proposals with the Chinese without pre-conditions: and that there was no question of any Western conspiracy against China involving Britain or Hong Kong. Anything which friends of Hong Kong such as Singapore could do to disabuse the Chinese of these notions of conspiracy and encirclement would be helpful not only for Hong Kong, but for the region as a whole.
3. In view of the report carried on Reuters earlier in the day headed QUOTE Britain Rebukes Singapore on Lee Conspiracy Theory UNQUOTE, Masefield added that we were not rebuking Singapore, but were bringing them up-to-date with our thinking.
4 =
Masefield told the Acting High. Commissioner that in response to press enquiries, News Department would take the following Line:
5.
QUOTE In the light of a number of press reports, FCO officials have taken the opportunity to place on record with the Singapore High Commission that it was not the case that the Governor's constitutional proposals had been discussed with any other countries while they were being developed, or that they formed part of any coordinated strategy towards China. UNQUOTE
News Department are now doing so. They are also adding, as
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