TNAG-2780-FCO40-3999-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1993 — Page 55

UNCLASSIFIED

174621

33

MDLIAN

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BL, THEN IT DID NOT INVOLVE THE QUESTION OF SETTING 'ANOTHER STOVE'.

SURVEY

30. A MORNING POST SURVEY SHOWED 47 PERCENT OF 435 RESPONDENTS FAVOURED A SEPTEMBER CUT-OFF DATE FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL TALKS, WHILE 39 PERCENT DISAGREED AND 14 PERCENT WERE UNSURE. HOWEVER, 71 PERCENT WANTED THE GOVERNOR TO URGE THE PEKING TALKS TO CONTINUE WHEN HE ATTENDED THE CABINET MEETING IN LONDON AND 20 PERCENT SAID THE GOVERNOR SHOULD URGE NEGOTIATIONS BE BROKEN OFF, IF NO PROGRESS WAS MADE BEFORE HIS TRIP, WHILE 9 PERCENT WERE UNSURE. THE SURVEY ALSO FOUND WIDESPREAD PUBLIC SCEPTICISM ABOUT PEKING'S ATTITUDE TO THE TALKS. 54 PERCENT SAID NEGOTIATIONS HAD SO FAR BEEN A WASTE OF TIME WITH CHINA USING THEM AS A STALLING TACTIC, WHILE 32 PERCENT DISAGREED AND 14 PERCENT UNSURE. THE SURVEY RESULTS SHOWED THE GOVERNOR'S PERSONAL POPULARITY REMAINED ALMOST UNCHANGED, WITH AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 5.82 ON A 10 POINT SCALE.

PATTEN

-

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

73

MAIN

65

.HK POLICY

HKD

PUSD

FED

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS

LEGAL ADVISERS//MR GILES NEWS D

NTCD

PLANNERS

RAD

PS

PS/MR GOODLAD

SIR J COLES

MR HUM

ADDITIONAL

8

CAOFF//SIR R BRAITHWAITE (DIO)

CAOFF //MISS NEVILLE-JONES

CAOFF//MR SIBSON

लललल

PS NO 10. HKGO//LONDON

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