CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 07023OZ NEW DELHI
TELNO 1012
OF 061733Z NOVEMBER 92
CONFIDENTIAL
Mailis azz/z
pa. Consti cist
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027265
MDHOAN 3857
1177
PERSONAL FOR SIR JOHN COLES (VISITING) FROM RICKETTS, HKD
(DUTY OFFICER: PLEASE ENSURE THAT SIR JOHN COLES SEES THIS AND FOLLOWING TELEGRAMS BEFORE DEPARTURE ON THE EVENING OF 8 NOVEMBER)
HONG KONG: UPDATE
1.
IN PREPARATION FOR YOUR MEETING WITH THE GOVERNOR ON 9 NOVEMBER, THE FOLLOWING HAVE BEEN THE MAIN DEVELOPMENTS OVER THE LAST WEEK.
CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES
2. THE PRIME MINISTER HAS NOW AGREED TO A MEETING OF OPD (K) ON 18 NOVEMBER, WHICH THE GOVERNOR WILL ATTEND. THERE WILL BE A CHANCE TO PREPARE THIS AT AN OFFICE MEETING WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON 16 NOVEMBER, AT WHICH THE GOVERNOR AND SIR ROBIN MCLAREN WILL BE PRESENT.
3
ON THE WAY AHEAD, WE HAVE NOT HAD A FULL-FLEDGED PAPER FROM THE GOVERNOR. WE HAD A NOTE FROM MICHAEL SZE, BUT THIS DID NOT TACKLE THE CENTRAL ISSUE OF WHETHER AND IN WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES IT WOULD BE RIGHT TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS.
WE HAVE THEREFORE PREPARED A MINUTE FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO SEND TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND OPD (K) COLLEAGUES, AS A BASIS FOR DISCUSSION ON 18 NOVEMBER. THE CURRENT DRAFT IS IN MIFT: THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL BE LOOKING AT THIS OVER THE WEEKEND. AS YOU WILL SEE, IT AIMS TO GIVE A FRANK ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG OF THE CURRENT IMPASSE, AND SUGGESTS SCENARIOS IN WHICH WE WOULD NEED TO CONSIDER MAKING CHANGES IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN SUPPORT IN HONG KONG FOR THE MAIN THRUST OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS. THE GOVERNOR IS CONTENT WITH THIS DRAFT MINUTE (HIS TELNO 2649, NOW REPEATED TO YOU) SUBJECT TO SOME SMALL AMENDMENTS WHICH WE HAVE INCORPORATED (APART FROM THE FINAL ONE, WHICH IS OBSCURE). THE GOVERNOR'S ACCEPTANCE OF OUR DRAFT INDICATES THAT HIS THINKING IS EVOLVING,
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