090324Z
REFERRED TO HKD//HD FOR DIST ADVICE (SUGEGSTED REF TEL)
HMLNAN 7424
LNMDAN 7439
CONI JENTIAL
00 FCOLN
FM HOKON TO FCOLN
090157Z DEC
GRS 248
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2862
OF 090157Z DECEMBER 92
443 012/1
میر
Included
lette to Nola
PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD
FROM: GOVERNOR
YOUR TELNO 1700: LEGCO TIMETABLE: COMMENTS BY LORD STERLING
1. I AM NOT SURE QUITE WHY LORD STERLING THINKS WE SHOULD ASK LEGCO' TO BRING FORWARD THE TIMING OF SUBMISSION OF OUR PROPOSALS TO THE COUNCIL. THE INTRODUCTION OF DRAFT LEGISLATION TO IMPLEMENT THESE PROPOSALS IS, OF COURSE, A MATTER FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT (ALTHOUGH WE HAVE MUCH LESS CONTROL OVER THE TIMING OF THE PROCESS ONCE THE DRAFT LEGISLATION IS WITH LEGCO). AND, LIKE YOU, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY AN EARLY SUBMISSION WOULD HELP TO ALLAY FEARS OF A UK/U S PLOT, UNLESS THIS IS SOME REFERENCE TOT HE FACT THAT THE DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT TO EXTEND CHINA'S MEN STATUS WILL BE TAKEN IN ABOUT MAY OR JUNE.
2.
WE ARE, AS YOU SAY, CONSIDERING WHETHER WE CAN INTRODUCE THE DRAFT LEGISLATION INTO LEGCO BEFORE, RATHER THAN AFTER, THE CHINESE NEW YEAR HOLIDAY. OUR PRESENT TARGET IS THE LEGCO MEETING ON 13 JANUARY, ALTHOUGH THIS MAY WELL BE FEASIBLE ONLY FOR THE AMENDMENT LEGISLATION, AND NOT THE NEW BILL TO ESTABLISH THE BOUNDARIES AND ELECTION COMMISSION. WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THE DETAILS OF THIS WITH YOU WHEN YOU ARE IN HONG KONG.
3. I DO NOT THINK THAT THERE IS MUCH MORE THAT YOU CAN SAY TO NO. 10 AT THIS STAGE, EXCEPT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE FULLY ACCEPT THE POINT THAT IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO INTRODUCE THE DRAFT LEGISLATION INTO LEGCO AS SOON AS WE CAN, AND ARE WORKING HARD TO DO THIS.
PATTEN
YYYY
HMLNAN 7424
Leylo 76
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