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Miß 017/2 Мив
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
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pa. Constit
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171022
MDHOAN 9878
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM HUM, AUSS
at
YOUR TELNO 2183 AND OUR TELNO 1286: YOUR LEGCO ADDRESS: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
1.
WE ARE NOW WORKING ON A MINUTE FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE PUTTING YOUR PROPOSALS TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND OPD(K) COLLEAGUES. WE AIM TO GET A DRAFT OF THIS TO MR GOODLAD IN TIME FOR HIM TO DISCUSS IT WITH YOU AND OFFICIALS IN HONG KONG EARLY NEXT WEEK. AS A FIRST STEP WE HAVE HAD AN INITIAL DISCUSSION WITH MR GOODLAD IN WHICH SIR R MCLAREN, WHO IS HERE ON LEAVE, ALSO TOOK PART.
2.
IN PREPARATION FOR OUR DRAFTING IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU COULD SET OUT YOUR THINKING A LITTLE FURTHER ON THE PUBLIC PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSALS ON THE 1995 ELECTIONS. WE ALL AGREE THAT, ONCE YOU HAVE SET OUT SPECIFIC PROPOSALS IN YOUR LEGCO ADDRESS, IT WILL BE POLITICALLY MOST UNATTRACTIVE TO BE SEEN TO RESILE FROM THEM UNDER CHINESE PRESSURE. ON THE OTHER HAND, A NUMBER OF THE PROPOSALS WILL BE VERY UNPALATABLE INDEED TO THE CHINESE.
3.
AS YOU INDICATE IN YOUR PARA 25, ONE OF OUR OBJECTIVES IN THE INITIAL PRESENTATION MUST BE TO MAKE IT AS HARD AS POSSIBLE FOR
THE CHINESE TO CLAIM THAT WE HAVE PRESENTED THEM WITH A FAIT ACCOMPLI AND TO DECLINE TO DISCUSS THE SUBSTANCE ON THAT BASIS. IT SEEMS TO US VERY IMPORTANT TO GET PAST THE STAGE WHERE THE CHINESE MIGHT BE MOVED TO ISSUE AN IMMEDIATE DENUNCIATION OF THE WHOLE PACKAGE, ON THE GROUNDS THAT WE WRE GOING BACK ON OUR UNDERTAKING TO DISCUSS OUR IDEAS ON THE 1995 ELECTIONS WITH THEM. IN PARTICULAR, YOU WILL BE MUCH BETTER PLACED DURING YOUR VISIT TO PEKING TO ESTABLISH THE NECESSARY CONSTRUCTIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP AND TO EXPLAIN YOUR PROPOSALS IN DETAIL TO THEM IF WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FORESTALL A KNEE-JERK CHINESE REJECTION. THAT WOULD ALSO FIT WITH THE BROAD APPROACH OF SEEING HOW FAR WE CAN GET IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE
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