47
SECRET
HULB 011/1
1 & JAN 1988
150677
MDHIAN 3687
TOP COPY
Q DIST ?
YOUR TELNO 40 AND TELECON JOHN CHAN/MISS BAILES OF 15 JANUARY
: REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT WHITE PAPER.
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1 I CALLED ON KE ZAISHUO ON 15 JANUARY ACCOMPANIED BY PIGOTT AND
TOOK ACTION AS INSTRUCTED IN PARA 3 OF TUR.
2. KE EXPRESSED THANKS FOR THE POINTS I HAD MADE IN HANDING OVER THE PAPER AND FOR THE PAPER ITSELF. HE SAID THT THESE DEMONSTRATED THE SPIRIT OF MUTUAL TRUST AND COOPERATION WHICH EXISTED BETWEEN US. SINCE THE GOVERNOR'S LAST VISIT TO PEKING, THE CHINESE SIDE HAD MADE EFFORTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING REACHED BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES TO ENSURE THAT MAINSTREAM VIEWS ON THE METHODS OF ELECTION TO THE SAR LEGISLATURE WOULD BE REFLECTED IN THE BASIC LAW. THE MEETING IN DECEMBER OF THE BLDC SPECIAL GROUP ON THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE HAD PRODUCED A TEXT WHICH CONTAINED ALL THE MAINSTREAM OPTIONS, NONE OF WHICH PROVIDED FOR LESS THAN 25 PERCENT DIRECT ELECTIONS. KE BELIEVED THAT THIS HAD CREATED THE CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR THE BRITISH SIDE TO DRAFT THE RELEVANT PART OF THE WHITE PAPER. HE UNDERTOOK TO FORWARD THE PAPER TO THE ''APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES'T HE HAD NOTED THAT THE WHITE PAPER WOULD BE TABLED IN LEGCO ON 10 FEBRUARY: IF THE CHINESE SIDE WISHED TO EXPRESS ANY VIEWS, THEY WOULD GET IN TOUCH WITH ME BEFORE THEN CHE DID NOT SAY THAT THE CHINESE HOPED TO SEE THE TEXT OF THE WHITE PAPER BEFORE IT WENT TO THE PRINTERS OR WELL IN ADVANCE OF 10 FEBRUARY).
3. I THANKED KE FOR HIS COMMENTS AND UNDERTOOK TO REPORT WHAT HE HAD
SAID.
EVANS
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}