CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO
1285
OF 261405Z AUGUST 92
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING
سيم
R(Constit
Seipt)
156142
MDHOAN 9621
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM COX, HKD
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS: HANDLING THE CHINESE
1.
NONE OF US SUPPOSES THAT IT WILL BE EASY TO SECURE CHINESE ACQUIESCENCE IN THE FORTHCOMING CONSTITUTIONAL DECISIONS. WE THINK IT WOULD BE WORTH CONSIDERING NOW WHAT EFFORTS OF PERSUASION WE SHOULD MAKE, IN ADDITION TO YOUR OWN KEY VISIT TO PEKING, AFTER YOU AND MINISTERS HAVE AGREED ON THE GAME-PLAN. THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL OPEN BATTING WITH QIAN QICHEN IN NEW YORK ON 25 SEPTEMBER. WE HAVE A LITTLE TIME TO PREPARE FOR THAT. BUT WE NEED TO CONSIDER WHETHER WE SHOULD BE SAYING ANY MORE TO
THE CHINESE MEANWHILE.
2.
YOU HAVE ALREADY PREPARED THE GROUND IN YOUR FRANK TALKS WITH
MA YUZHEN AND ZHOU NAN (THANK YOU FOR THE FULL ACCOUNTS IN YOUR TELNOS 2058 AND 2169). YOU PUT ACROSS SOME CLEAR MESSAGES, NOTABLY ON EXCO APPOINTMENTS (NO QUOTE NOTORIOUS PEOPLE UNQUOTE)
AND ON DIRECTLY-ELECTED SEATS (PITCHING YOUR TENT ON THE GROUND OF THE JD AND BL). WE DO NOT KNOW HOW ACCURATELY THEY WILL BE CONVEYED TO PEKING, THOUGH ZHOU HAD OBVIOUSLY HAD SOME ACCOUNT OF YOUR TALK WITH MA. SO WE ASSUME THAT OUR FIRST PRIORITY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS SHOULD BE TO AVOID DOING ANYTHING TO CLOUD OR CONFUSE THESE MESSAGES. THERE IS PROBABLY NO NEED FOR US TO SAY ANYTHING NEW TO THE CHINESE EMBASSY HERE, THOUGH MA WILL DOUBTLESS START FISHING ONCE HE IS BACK IN ACTION (HE IS TIED UP WITH THE CONFERENCE ON THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLICS AT PRESENT). BUT IT IS FOR CONSIDERATION WHETHER SIR R MCLAREN SHOULD BE
TASKED TO CALL ON LU PING AFTER HIS RETURN TO PEKING IN MID-
SEPTEMBER (HE IS DUE TO SEE THE PRIME MINISTER AND SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE WEEK OF 7 SEPTEMBER, WHICH MAY HELP HIS ACCESS IN PEKING).
3. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TELNO 2187 ABOUT WHAT LINE SIR EDWARD HEATH MIGHT USEFULLY TAKE DURING HIS VISIT TO PEKING, JUST BEFORE THE NEW YORK MEETING.
1
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL