SECRET
(G) PARAS 19-20. THIS SECTION HAS BEEN REVISED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT
THE INFORMATION IN PEKING TELNO 3. WE HAVE ASSUMED THAT IF THE
SECREATARY OF STATE MEETS WU IN BANGKOK IN APRIL, A VISIT BY MR.
RENTON TO PEKING IN THAT MONTH WOULD NOT BE NECESSARY: HOWEVER,
THIS MIGHT BE USEFUL IN MARCH IF IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO ARRNAGE A
- MEETING BETWEEN THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND WU DURING THE LATTER'S
VISIT TO EUROPE. (I WOULD OF COURSE WELCOME AVISIT BY MR. RENTON
TO HONG KONG AT ANY TIME). THE POSSIBILITY OF A MEETING BETWEEN THE
SECRETARY OF STATE AND WU IN APRIL RATHER THAN MAY SEEMS IN MY VIEW
TO MAKE IT UNNECESSARY TO CONSIDER POSTPONING THE PUBLICATION OF
THE GREEN PAPER TO JUNE, WHICH AS YOU KNOW I DO NOT FAVOUR ANYWAY.
I HAVE THEREFORE MADE APPROPRIATE AMENDMENTS TO THE ANNEX AND
TO OTHER REFERENCES IN THE TEXT (E.G. OLD PARAS 12 AND 20).
(H) PARA 20. IT IS NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR TO ME WHAT THE PURPOSE OF A
SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO WU WOULD BE. IT
WOULD SEEM PREFERABLE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT ANY SUCH MESSAGE SHOULD
NOT MERELY BE A RESTATEMENT OF OUR POSITION. I SUGGESTED IN MY
TELNO 4215 THAT WE MIGHT GIVE THE CHINESE AN EARLY SIGHT OF A PAPER
THAT WOULD IN EFFECT ILLUSTRATE HOW WE WOULD DEAL IN THE GREEN PAPER
WITH THE SUBJECT OF ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THIS
COULD BE HANDED OVER BY THE AMBASSADOR UNDER COVER OF A MESSAGE
FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE. IF YOU AGREE, FEBRUARY LOOKS TO BE A
MORE REALISTIC TARGET THAN JANUARY.
(1) PARA 26. I HAVE ADDED IN A FOURTH POSSIBLE OUTCOME: THAT WE MIGHT
CONCLUDE THAT A MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG DID NOT FAVOUR
THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988.
AKERS-JONES
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