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004743
MDHIAN 3391
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FM TOKYO
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 903
OF 220911Z DECEMBER 92
TOP COPY QDOT?
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, SINGAPORE INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
NT. "1
NT 02/1
YOUR TELS NOS 672, 675 AND 677 (NOT TO ALL): HONG KONG/JAPAN
SUMMARY
1.
JAPANESE SAY THEY ARE CONTINUING TO SPEAK PRIVATELY TO THE CHINESE. THEY DISMISS THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES OF LEE KUAN YEW.
DETAIL
2. WE DELIVERED SIR J COLES'S MESSAGE ON 21 DECEMBER. OVER LUNCH ON 22 DECEMBER, THE DIRECTOR OF CHINA DIVISION MFA SAID THAT THE JAPANESE WERE CONTINUING TO SPEAK PRIVATELY TO THE CHINESE. THE DAY BEFORE, FOREIGN MINISTER WATANABE HAD RAISED HONG KONG WITH THE PRESIDENT OF PEOPLE'S DAILY (VISITING AT JAPANESE GOVERNMENT INVITATION). HE HAD SAID THAT RECENT MOVES ON HONG KONG HAD CAUSED CONCERN. THE CHINESE SHOULD APPROACH THE SITUATION IN A CALM AND REASONABLE MANNER. OTHERWISE THEY RISKED DAMAGING THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG, WHICH WAS IMPORTANT FOR THEIR OWN ECONOMIC INTERESTS, FOR REGIONAL STABILITY AND OF COURSE FOR JAPANESE INVESTORS.
3
TARUI SAID THAT IN GENERAL THE CHINESE REACTION TO THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS HAD BEEN STRONGER THAN HE HAD EXPECTED. THEIR PERSONAL ATTACKS ON THE GOVERNOR AND THEIR ATTACK ON JARDINE'S WERE DEPLORABLE. ASKED WHY HE THOUGHT THEY WERE TAKING THIS LINE, HE SAID HE THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE THEY FELT ENCIRCLED BY SOME KIND OF WESTERN CONSPIRACY. WE SPOKE AS INSTRUCTED ON LEE KUAN YEW'S STATEMENT. TARUI SAID THAT THE COUNSELLOR FROM THE SINGAPORE EMBASSY HAD ASKED HIM IF HE AGREED THERE WAS A CONSPIRACY. TARUI HAD SAID HE CERTAINLY DID NOT.
4. IN MORE SPECULATIVE MOOD, TARUI SUGGESTED THAT THE EVENTUAL OUTCOME MIGHT BE A REVISION OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS ON THE BASIS OF PROPOSALS FROM PEOPLE IN HONG KONG AND LEGCO APPROVAL OF THIS AMENDED VERSION. THAT WOULD ENABLE ALL SIDES TO SAVE FACE.
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