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Hong Kong
1912
The Secretary of State had a word with the Governor of Hong Kong on the telephone on 16 March. The Governor was grateful for the Secretary of State's statement in the House yesterday. He said that this had been quoted extensively in the Hong Kong press, as had the remarks of Dr Cunningham and Robert Adley MP. But the strength and breadth of support in the House of Commons had not fully come across in the Hong Kong press. The Secretary of State said we would encourage Mr Ashdown to say something in support.
Sir David Steel's remarks in the House had, however, been useful.
The Governor said that the mood in LegCo was OK, although he was discovering that in Hong Kong he was constantly encouraged to set a bottom line, and then found himself criticised for sticking to that line. ExCo was also supportive. He thought the best strategy was now to have the 'proposal discussed by LegCo. LegCo would amend the proposals.
He thought the Chinese would be hard put to argue with an outcome which had LegCo's support. However, he agreed with the Secretary of State that we must expect a bumpy ride on the way there.
For the time being, the Governor thought it was best to do nothing. He and ExCo would probably have to decide next week whether to introduce his proposals into LegCo the following week. He did not think it possible to delay introducing the legislation in LegCo until after Easter.
The Secretary of State asked whether Gerald Kaufman's approach (that problems now were the result of British feebleness in the past) had come across in Hong Kong. The Governor said it had not. There was no real criticism at present that the Governor's proposals had not gone far enough.
16 March 1993
Stephen Srinth
(J S Smith)
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