TNAG-2625-FCO40-3816-Visit-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1992 — Page 156

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105274

MDHOAN 8686

UNCLASSIFIED

HILD

HCO 026/144 d

ра

7/8.

UNCLASSIFIED

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA

TELNO 274

OF 061511Z AUGUST 92

AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG, KUALA LUMPUR

66

YOUR TELNO 416: AUSTRALIAN MEDIA REACTION TO SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISITS TO HONG KONG AND KUALA LUMPUR

1.

WE AGREE WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATION THAT A LETTER SHOULD BE SENT TO THE EDITOR OF THE 'WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN' TO REBUT THE EDITORIAL OF 2 AUGUST CRITICISING THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON HONG KONG AND REMARKS MADE BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON THE EAEC DURING HIS VISIT TO KUALA LUMPUR. THE TEXT OF THE LETTER, SIGNED BY BARONESS CHALKER, IS AS FOLLOWS:

QUOTE YOUR EDITORIAL OF 1-2 AUGUST COMPLAINS THAT THE BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY HAD NOTHING NEW TO SAY WHEN HE VISITED HONG KONG AT THE END OF LAST MONTH. BUT MR HURD HAD ALREADY MADE IT QUITE CLEAR, IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, TO ANYONE WHO CARED TO LISTEN, THAT HE WOULD NOT BE MAKING ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT THE 1995 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS DURING THIS VISIT, BECAUSE HE WANTED THE NEW GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG TO HAVE TIME TO CONSULT WIDELY WITH PEOPLE IN HONG KONG BEFORE

ANY FIRM DECISIONS ARE REACHED.

YOUR EDITORIAL TALKS ABOUT A QUOTE FULL-BLOODED DEMOCRACY UNQUOTE AND REAFFIRMING THE JOINT DECLARATION IN A WAY WHICH REVEALS LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF THE REALITIES OF HONG KONG. IN THE EYES OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, CONTINUITY IS NOT THE DIRTY WORD YOUR EDITORIAL SEEMS TO SUGGEST. IT IS SOMETHING THEY ALL WANT TO SEE. AND THE GREAT MAJORITY RECOGNISES THAT THE COOPERATION OF CHINA IS NECESSARY IF ARRANGEMENTS MADE BEFORE 1997 ARE TO CONTINUE BEYOND THAT DATE. WE HAVE THEREFORE WORKED HARD TO PERSUADE CHINA THAT A FASTER INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY-ELECTED SEATS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD BE BOTH DESIRABLE AND MANAGEABLE. THE ARGUMENT IS NOT OVER PRINCIPLE BUT OVER PACE AND TIMING. THE BASIC LAW, WHICH WILL APPLY TO HONG KONG AFTER 1997, INCLUDES THE AIM THAT BEGIN UNDERLINING ALL CEASE UNDERLINING MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL SHOULD BE ELECTED BY UNIVERSAL

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