CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 221030Z FCO
TELNO 2940
OF 220915Z DECEMBER 92
CONFIDENTIAL
pe
lut sup
19"
005102
MDHIAN 3409
TOP COPY Q DIST?
INFO IMMEDIATE SINGAPORE, PEKING, WASHINGTON, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
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SINGAPORE TELNO 349 AND YOUR TELNO 1748: LEE KUAN YEW'S VIEWS ON HONG KONG AND CHINA.
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1 I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE WAY IN WHICH MR DUGGAN SPOKE. I AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF MR RIFKIND COULD SPEAK TO LEE KUAN YEW DIRECT, BUT LIKE MR DUGGAN I STILL ALSO SEE MERIT IN THE FCO PLACING ON RECORD OUR CONCERN WITH THE SINGAPORE HIGH COMMISSION IN LONDON. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT, IF ASKED, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SAY WE HAVE DONE THIS. OTHERWISE LEE KUAN YEW'S ARGUMENTS MAY BE SEEN TO HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED BY DEFAULT. I HAVE LITTLE DOUBT THAT THE SINGAPORE MFA WOULD DO THE SAME IN REVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES.
2. I ALSO AGREE WITH MR DUGGAN'S SUGGESTION THAT I SHOULD WRITE TO LEE. I PROPOSE TO SENT A LOW KEY PERSONAL LETTER (TEXT IN MIFT). WE WOULD NOT RELEASE THIS PUBLICLY. THE POINT WOULD BE TO PREVENT LEE FROM BEING ABLE TO SAY THAT I HAD NOT DENIED THE THEORY HE PUT FORWARD. THIS MIGHT INHIBIT HIM FROM CONTINUING TO EXPOUND HIS THEORY.
3. INCIDENTALLY, IT IS COMPLETE NONSENSE TO SAY THAT LEE SOUGHT ONLY TO QUOTE OTHERS AND AVOID GIVING HIS OWN VIEWS. DURING THE TELEVISION INTERVIEWS IN PARTICULAR, HE EMPHASISED UNAMBIGUOUSLY THAT THIS WAS HIS OWN ASSESSMENT OF THE TRUTH BEHIND THE FACTS AS HE SAW THEM. WE ARE SENDING TRANSCRIPTS TO YOU AND SINGAPORE.
PATTEN
YYYY
HED Oila
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