CONFIDENTIAL
سيم
pr. R. Conship bet
(sen),
101260 MDLIAN 14876
CONFIDENTIAL
FM SINGAPORE
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 119
OF 240816Z MAY 93
(AMENDED DISTRIBUTION 24/5)
AND TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR, HONG KONG: MODUK: PEKING:
AND TO ROUTINE OTHER ASEAN POSTS
MIPT: MR RIFKIND'S CALL ON LEE KUAN YEW
SUMMARY
1. LEE KUAN YEW CASTS DOUBT ON THE TIMING, STYLE AND SENSE OF OUR POLICY OF CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE AND DISMISSES OUR EFFORTS TO ENTRENCH SOME RULE OF LAW IN HONG KONG QUOTE AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY UNQUOTE. HE CLAIMS TO BE MOTIVATED BY A FEAR THAT A US/CHINA CLASH OVER HONG KONG COULD AFFECT ASIA.
DETAIL
2. ALMOST THE WHOLE OF MR RIFKIND'S CONVERSATION WITH SENIOR MINISTER LEE KUAN YEW WAS CONCERNED WITH A DISCUSSION OF BRITISH POLICY ON HONG KONG. THE DEBATE OVER-RAN THE TIME SET ASIDE FOR THE CALL BY A QUARTER OF AN HOUR, WITH LEE SIGNALLING THAT THE PRIME MINISTER SHOULD BE TOLD THAT MR RIFKIND WAS DELAYED.
3. LEE BEGAN BY REITERATING THAT MR PATTEN'S CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS, AS SUGGESTED BY MESSRS MACLEHOSE, CRADOCK AND WILSON, WERE IN BREACH OF THE SPIRIT, IF NOT THE LETTER, OF OUR ACCORDS WITH CHINA. HE URGED US NOT TO DISCARD LIGHTLY THE VIEWS OF PEOPLE LIKE PERCY CRADOCK, WHO HAD TAUGHT HIM A LOT ABOUT CHINA. LIKE CRADOCK, HE BELIEVED THAT BRITAIN COULD NOT WIN THIS ONE. HE HAD HAPPENED TO BE IN HONG KONG WHEN MR PATTEN'S PROPOSALS WERE FIRST ANNOUNCED AND HAD TRIED TO BE SUPPORTIVE BY SPEAKING OF QUOTE CREATIVE EXTRAPOLATION UNQUOTE AT THE TIME. BUT THE CASE FOR MANY OF THE CHARGES WAS QUOTE HIGHLY TENDENTIOUS UNQUOTE. A FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY WAS NOT A UNIVERSAL CONSTITUENCY AND WORDS HAD TO MEAN SOMETHING. FROM THE CHINESE SIDE, THE ISSUE WENT MUCH WIDER. NOTED THAT CHINA HAD ASSIDUOUSLY IGNORED THE LEGAL ARGUMENT. THEIR BASIC ATTITUDE WAS THAT HONG KONG WAS A PART OF CHINA, TAKEN FROM THEM AT A TIME OF HISTORIC WEAKNESS, NOW DUE TO BE RETURNED, WITH BRITAIN SEEKING TO SET CONDITIONS ON HOW HONG KONG SHOULD BE GOVERNED, IN A WAY WHICH WAS AFFECTING ALSO PROVINCES OF CHINA SUCH
HE
AS GUANDONG.
4.
LEE THOUGHT THAT WE MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE WITH US SUPPORT:
1
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