TNAG-2991-FCO40-3566-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1992 — Page 95

UNCLASSIFIED

065

MDHIAN 6668

5.

4 OTHER COLUMNISTS IN TA KUNG PAO AND WEN WEI PO ALSO INSISTED THAT THE BASIC LAW COULD NOT BE AMENDED BEFORE 1997. ANOTHER ARTICLE ATTACKING MR. GOODLAD'S COMMENTS BY THE SOCIAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF THE FEDERATION OF NEW TERRITORIES SOCIETIES

WAS ALSO CARRIED IN TA KUNG PAO.

6. ARTICLES ON THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF JUNE 4 HAVE EDGED THE BASIC LAW CONTROVERSY OUT OF THE LIMLIGHT IN MOST OF THE NON- COMMUNIST PRESS. BUT SING TAO DAILY SAID IN AN EDITORIAL THAT THOSE WHO WISHED TO STAY IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997 STOOD TO GAIN MORE THAN THEY WOULD LOSE IF BOTH CHINA AND BRITAIN ADHERED STRICTLY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE BASIC LAW. CHINA SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN THE PRETEXT TO CHANGE IT BEFORE 1997. MARTIN LEE WAS BEING QUOTE PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH UNQUOTE IN CALLING FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE DOCUMENT. HIS VIEWS WERE NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF PUBLIC OPINION.

WILSON

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

56

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

. (RESTRICTED)

DISTRIBUTION

56

NEWS D

PLANNERS

HKD

PUSD

FED//HD

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT

.AND MS BROOKS

RAD

PS/MR GOODLAD

PS/MR PATTEN

SIR J COLES

MR HUM

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