CONFIDENTIAL
(14)
001676
MDHIAN 3241
CONFIDENTIAL
FM SINGAPORE
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 349
OF 21085OZ DECEMBER 92
AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, JLG HONG KONG
TOP COPY Q DIST? pa.
INFO PRIORITY ASEAN POSTS, SEOUL, HANOI, CANBERRA, WASHINGTON, INFO PRIORITY WELLINGTON, TOKYO
YOUR TELNO 996 TO PEKING: LEE KUAN YEW'S VIEWS ON HONG KONG AND CHINA
SUMMARY
1.
FOREIGN MINISTER WONG GIVEN OUR VIEWS ON LEE KUAN YEW'S UNHELPFUL COMMENTS. HE SEEKS TO SUGGEST THAT THE SENIOR MINISTER WAS ONLY QUOTING OTHERS. SIGNS OF SOME BACKING OFF HERE BUT THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE. THE GOVERNOR MIGHT WISH TO CONSIDER A PERSONAL LETTER TO LEE KUAN YEW.
DETAIL
2.
THERE WAS A CHANCE TO SPEAK PRIVATELY TO FOREIGN MINISTER WONG KAN SENG (PARA 2 OF MY TEL NO 347) IN THE MARGINS OF MY EC HEADS OF MISSION LUNCH TODAY.
3. I TOLD WONG THAT WE WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT SUGGESTIONS THAT WE WERE PARTY TO SOME US INSPIRED PLOT TO BRING DEMOCRACY TO CHINA VIA HONG KONG. MR PATTEN'S PROPOSALS WERE NOT THE RESULT OF ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH ANY FOREIGN POWER. SENIOR MINISTER LEE KUAN YEW'S REFERENCE TO SUCH A CONSPIRACY WERE UNHELPFUL AND MAKING THE GOVERNOR'S TASK IN HONG KONG AT A PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE TIME THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT. HIS REMARKS HAD TENDED TO FEED PEKING'S MISTRUST OF OUR POLICIES, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING FOR A REDUCTION IN RHETORIC AND A RATHER MORE RATIONAL ATMOSPHERE TO ASSIST SENSIBLE CONSIDERATION OF THE GOVERNOR'S MODEST PROPOSALS.
4. WONG HEARD ME OUT. HE COMMENTED THAT THE SENIOR MINISTER HAD THOUGHT CAREFULLY ABOUT WHETHER TO GO AHEAD WITH HIS LECTURE IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES. HE HAD DECIDED TO SPEAK, AS A LATE WITHDRAWAL MIGHT HAVE BEEN MISINTERPRETED AS SOME LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG. HE HAD NOT WISHED TO CAUSE HONG KONG ANY PROBLEMS. HE HAD, CLAIMED WONG, BEEN VERY CAREFUL IN WHAT HE HAD SAID: IN REPLY TO QUESTIONS, HE HAD QUOTED OTHER PEOPLE'S VIEWS, NOT LEAST THOSE OF MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS. I SAID THAT IT HAD NOT BEEN HELPFUL THAT THE SENIOR MINISTER HAD GIVEN SUCH VIEWS
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CONFIDENTIAL
HICD 02/9
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