71
GRS 700
SECRET
DESKEY 14113OZ F C O
SECRETKK 040131.
DESKBY 15003OZ PEKING
RECT
FM HONG KONG 141015Z MAY 84
15 MAY 1984
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TOP COPY
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1316 OF 14 MAY
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
MIPT: FUTURE OF HONG KONG : PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE
1. FOLLOWING ARE COMMENTS ON THE MATERIAL FOR MR LUCE'S SPEECH IN
YOUR TELNO 868:
PARA 3:
(64)
(1) YOU MAY WANT TO ADD THE WORDS 'ACTING ALONE'' POWER' IN THE SECOND SENTENCE.
AFTER IN THEIR
(11) WE ASSUME THAT THE INCLUSION OF THE WORDS ''LATER IN THE YEAR' AT THE END OF THE FOURTH SENTENCE IS DELIBERATE. NO PUBLIC INDICATION OF THE TIMING OF A DEBATE ON THE DRAFT AGREEMENT HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN
GIVEN.
PARA 4:
WE SUGGEST THAT A REFERENCE TO THE FREEDOMS NOW ENJOYED BE ADDED TO
THE LAST SENTENCE.
PARAS 5 AND 6:
SEE MIPT.
PARA 8:
THE LAST SENTENCE STRIKES US AS UNNECESSARILY INVOLVED. WE SUGGEST THAT IT BE AMENDED TO READ: BUT IT IS CLEARLY VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE EVENTUAL BASIC LAW SHOULD REFLECT THE CONTENT OF THE AGREEMENT, WHICH WILL BE A BINDING INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT SETTING OUT THE ARRANGEMENTS TO BE MAINTAINED IN HONG KONG FOR AT LEAST 50
YEARS AFTER 1997.''
PARA 9:
(1) IN THE FIRST SENTENCE SOME PEOPLE WILL BE SEEN HERE AS A SOMEWHAT DISOBLIGING REFERENCE TO UMELCO. WE SUGGEST THAT THIS SENTENCE BE AMENDED TO READ: ''FEARS HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED THAT A CAPITALIST HONG KONG WOULD NOT BE COMPATABLE WITH A COMMUNIST
CHINA.
(11) THE PRESENT CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S INTERNAL POLICIES (THIRD SENTENCE) ARE NOT REALLY RELEVANT. WE SUGGEST THAT THE LAST FIVE SENTENCES OF THIS PARA BE SUBSTITUTED BY: "IT IS RELEVANT THAT THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS HAVE ENABLED THE TWO SYSTEMS TO CO-EXIST TO THE IR MUTUAL BENEFIT FOR THE PAST 35 YEARS. OUR TASK IS TO FIND WAYS IN WHICH THE CONTINUATION OF HONG KONG'S SEPARATE AND DIFFERENT SYSTEMS COULD BE SECURED UNDER NEW ARRANGEMENTS. OF COURSE, WE APPRECIATE THE NEED FOR THESE NEW ARRANGEMENTS TO BE AS EFFECTIVE AND SECURE AS POSSIBLE. WE DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED. THAT IS ONE REASON WHY WE ARE WORKING FOR A BINDING INTERNATIONAL
AGREEMENT.''
SECRET
/PARA 10: