GRS 500 CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
TO DESKBY 10093OZ FCO
TELNO 106
OF 10072OZ JANUARY 86
18
TOP COPY
MAK 02715
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
10 JAN 1986
DESK OFFICER INDEX
REGISTR
PA
Action Taken
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
MY TELNO 21 : MR RENTON'S VISIT : PRESS CONFERENCE
1. THE MAIN THRUST OF QUESTIONS AT MR RENTON'S PRESS CONFERENCE
ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT WILL BE AS FOLLOWS. THE DIFFICULT
QUESTIONS ARE LIKELY TO BE:
(A) HAVE THE CHINESE DEMANDED EITHER IN THE JLG OR DURING MR
RENTON'S VISIT TO PEKING, THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO FURTHER CHANGE
WITHOUT THE IR CONSENT?
(B) (F) WILL THE CHINESE BE GIVEN AN ADVANCE COPY OF PROPOSALS
FOR THE 1987 REVIEW?
(MM) IF THEY OBJECT TO ANY PARTS OF HT, WILL THESE BE CHANGED?
(C) NOW THAT REFORMS IN HONG KONG ARE ON THE AGENDA FOR THE JLG, DOES THIS NOT MEAN THAT BRITAIN HAS SURRENDERED ITS AUTHORITY AND
GIVEN CHINA THE RIGHT OF VETO?
ין
(D) THERE IS WIDESPREAD CONCERN IN HONG KONG THAT THE CHINESE SIDE
INTERPRETS SUCH EXPRESSIONS AS ''LEGISLATURE CONSTITUTED BY
ELECTIONS'' IN A VERY RESTRICTIVE MANNER. WHAT IS THE BRITISH
GOVERNMENT'S INTERPRETATION AND WHAT IS IT DOING TO BRING THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S POINT OF VIEW INTO LINE WITH IT?
(E) DOES MR RENTON AGREE WITH MR PADDY ASHDOWN MP THAT THERE IS
A MOOD IN BRITAIN TO SWEEP HONG KONG UNDER THE CARPET?
2. RECOMMEND THAT MR RENTON SHOULD SEEK TO GET ACROSS THE
FOLLOWING POINTS:
(A) WHAT WE HAVE AGREED WITH THE CHINESE IS THAT THERE SHOULD BE
AN EXCHANGE OF VIEWS AND (B) IT IS PRUDENT TO KEEP CHINESE INFORMED
OF OUR THINKING.
CONFIDENTIAL
(C)