TNAG-2615-FCO40-3806-Views-of-Lee-Kuan-Yew--former-Prime-Minister-of-Singapore--o-1992 — Page 3

CONFIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL

33,

FROM:

SL Cowper-Coles

Mr Ricketts

Hong Kong Department

LEE KUAN YEW IN HONG KONG

1.

Security Policy Department

DATE:

15 December 1992

Mr

れ

Mr Banter pa pl

Buck 17/12

to

In bat, RAD

Placx vector to

NKD Ser fel

bhe

re

Какв

M

Jali

Lee Kuan Yew's remarks in Hong Kong, which I saw on the Nine O'clock News last night, reminded me of an incident which took place during Mrs Thatcher's visit to South East Asia in September 1985.

2.

Sir Antony Acland, who accompanied the Prime Minister, told me that at a small private lunch which Lee Kuan Yew gave for Mrs Thatcher Mr Lee spoke highly of the Hong Kong Joint Declaration. Mr Lee had said that, as soon as he had heard that the Declaration had been signed, he had asked the Singapore Foreign Ministry to send him a copy. While he was waiting for his copy to arrive, Mr Lee had written down on a piece of paper everything he thought should be in an ideal agreement. Once the text had arrived, he had gone through it, and had succeeded in ticking off everything on his list. He thought that this was a tribute to Mrs Thatcher and to British diplomacy. Sir Antony recalled that Mrs Thatcher had actually blushed at such praise from Mr Lee.

Shermand love. bles

SL Cowper-Coles

HKD 021/4

RECEIV

14 JAN 1993

D:

INDE

¡FFIC!

scc1512hk

CONFIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL