TNAG-2771-FCO40-3988-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 78

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UNCLASSIFIED

040370 MDLIAN 6416

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FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1459

OF 101015Z SEPTEMBER 93

INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA

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HONG KONG FUTURE: PRESS COVERAGE: 5.9 10.9.

PART TWO OF TWO PARTS:

CIVIL SERVICE.

13.

LU PING WAS QUOTED (6.9) AS SAYING THE GOVERNOR HAD CREATED A SPLIT IN THE CIVIL SERVICE: NOT ONLY WERE CHINESE CIVIL SERVANTS FEELING UNCERTAIN, EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS ALSO FELT UNCERTAIN. THIS AFFECTED THE CONFIDENCE OF THE HONG KONG PUBLIC. LU ALSO DISCLOSED THE BRITISH SIDE SUGGESTED TO FORM A NEW FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY OF THE CIVIL SERVICE. THIS WAS A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE TO THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM AND A SERIOUS MATTER WHICH WOULD AFFECT THE STABILITY OF THE CIVIL SERVICE AND THE EFFICIENCY OF THE HKG IN FUTURE.

14. THE PAPERS ALSO CARRIED A STATEMENT BY A HKG SPOKESMAN AS

SAYING THE GOVERNMENT WAS SURPRISED BY LU'S REMARKS AS BRITAIN AND CHINA HAD AGREED TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE TALKS. SELECTIVE AND DISTORTED LEAKING OF THE CONTENTS OF THE TALKS WOULD NOT ENHANCE THE CHANCES OF SUCCESS. REPORTS NOTED THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD NO PLAN AT THE PRESENT STAGE TO CHANGE THE REGULATIONS GOVERNING CIVIL SERVANTS PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.

15.

PRO-CHINA PAPERS SAID (6.9) MAKING THE CIVIL SERVICE A FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY RAN AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY AND WAS AGAINST THE SPIRIT OF BOTH THE JD AND BL. TA KUNG SAID THE CIVIL SERVICE WAS AN IMPORTANT FORCE FOR 'HONG KONG PEOPLE RUNNING HONG KONG' AND CHINA ATTACHED GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE MAINTENANCE OF ITS STABILITY AND NEUTRAL STATUS. IT QUESTIONED THE BRITISH SIDE'S ULTERIOR MOTIVES' IN DOING THINGS TO UNDERMINE THE STABILITY OF THE CIVIL SERVICE SUCH AS THE LOCALISATION OF EXPATRIATE OFFICERS AND SEEKING TO POLITICISE THE CIVIL SERVICE.

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