CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 1499
OF 09130OZ JUNE 88
INFO ROUTINE PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
63
TOP COPY 121323 a DIST ADLOAN 1727
MKB 01112.
CALL BY MR MARTIN LEE ON LORD GLENARTHUR
SUMMARY
1.
MR LEE PUT ACROSS IN MODERATE TERMS THE CONCERNS SET OUT IN PAMPHLET ON THE BASIC LAW. KEEN THAT HMG SHOULD NOT PRAISE FIRST DRAFT TOO HIGHLY.
DETAIL
2. MR LEE
(UNACCOMPANIED)
CALLED ON LORD GLENARTHUR FOR FORTY
MINUTES ON 8 JUNE. HE SAID HE THOUGHT IT IMPORTANT THAT HMG SHOULD NOT PRAISE THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW TOO HIGHLY AT THIS STAGE. THERE WAS EVERY REASON TO BE COMPLIMENTARY ABOUT THE OPENNESS WITH WHICH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WERE HANDLING THIS EXERCISE. BUT EXCESSIVE PRAISE OF THE DRAFT ITSELF WOULD MAKE IT HARDER FOR LEGCO MEMBERS AND THE HONG KONG MEMBERS OF THE BLDC TO GET THE BEST POSSIBLE DEAL FROM THE CHINESE.
3.
MR LEE OUTLINED HIS CONCERNS ABOUT ARTICLES 16, 17, 18 AND 169 OF THE DRAFT BASIC LAW ON THE LINES OF HIS BOOKLET. HE ALSO EXPLAINED HIS MAIN CRITICISMS OF THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE DESCRIBED IN THE BASIC LAW, NAMELY THAT THE EXECUTIVE WOULD HAVE TOO MUCH POWER IN RELATION TO THE LEGISLATURE AND THAT A GRAND ELECTORAL COLLEGE WOULD BE TOO OPEN TO INFLUENCE BY THE CENTRAL PEOPLE'S
GOVERNMENT.
WE
4. LORD GLENARTHUR ASSURED MR LEE THAT WE WERE GIVING THE DRAFT BASIC LAW VERY CLOSE STUDY. WE WOULD WISH TO SATISFY OURSELVES THAT IT WAS IN FULL ACCORDANCE WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION. WE WERE ALREADY IN CONTACT WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES THROUGH A RANGE OF CHANNELS TO ENSURE THAT OUR VIEWS GOT ACROSS. LORD GLENARTHUR SUGGESTED THAT IN OUR APPROACHES TO THE CHINESE WAS RIGHT TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT WAS DUE AND TO BE SELECTIVE IN OUR CRITICISM, PUTTING FORWARD NEGOTIABLE ALTERNATIVES WHERE
IT
WE FELT THE TEXT COULD BE IMPROVED. MR LEE SAID HE READILY ACCEPTED THAT. ON OCCASIONS HE TOOK UP AN EXTREME POSITION IN THE EXPECTATION THAT HE WOULD ACHIEVE SOMETHING LESS. HE HOPED THAT HMG WOULD
NOT AIM TOO LOW IN ITS STARTING ASSURED HIM THAT WE WOULD NOT.
POSITIONS. LORD GLENARTHUR
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