Mr Hum, HKD
FROM: PS/Lord Glenarthur
[ HAB Oll 2DATE: 19. January 1988
cc: Private Secretary
25 JAN 1988
Mr. McLaren News Department
ва
HONG KONG: CALL ON LORD GLENARTHUR BY MR MARTIN LEE
1.
Mr Martin Lee (finally) called on Lord Glenarthur this morning for 25 minutes. You and I were also present.
2. Mr Lee began by apologising handsomely for the inconvenience to which he had put Lord Glenarthur by first refusing and then accepting the offer of a call. He emphasised that his delegation had led him to change his mind. Lord Glenarthur said only that he was glad that the call was now going ahead and that it was clearly desirable to engage in a dialogue.
3. Martin Lee then failed to refer even once to direct elections during the remainder of the meeting. Instead he concentrated in great detail
on his concern at developments over the Basic Law. His theme was that the Chinese Government were seeking to manipulate the drafting of the Basic Law in such a way that their nominees would dominate the first SAR Government and the Preparatory Committee and Grand Electoral College that would, according to their thinking would bring it into being. The Chinese Government would therefore bypass the spirit of the Joint Declaration, if not the letter. In the BLDC there was only half-hearted opposition to this trend.
4. Lord Glenarthur said that we were naturally following very closely the work of the BLDC. The Chinese Government were well aware of our views on what was required for a smooth transition in 1997. He did not accept Mr Lee's analysis. You made the same points in greater detail. Mr Lee, having said his piece at length, was then called away to see the Secretary of State. Before doing so, he expressed the hope that he and Lord Glenarthur would meet again before too long.
19 January 1988
David Reddaway
PS/Lord Glenarthur