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173750 MDADAN 5836
BE AN EXTRA- PLENARY MEETING OR MEETINGS IN NOVEMBER.
6.
}
TACTICALLY, OUR STRONGEST POINT IS OUR INSISTENCE THAT IF THE CHINESE DISLIKE MY PROPOSALS THEY SHOULD COME UP WITH ALTERNATIVES. WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO REBUT ANY SUGGESTION THAT THE BALL IS IN OUR COURT. FOR THIS REASON WE DO NOT THINK THAT IT WOULD BE TACTICALLY WISE TO CALL EXPLICITLY FOR A MEETING: IF WE DID, WE SHOULD BE UNDER PRESSURE TO SAY SOMETHING NEW, AND WE COULD WELL CAUSE SUSPICION THAT WE WERE CONSIDERING A COMPROMISE. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT WOULD NOT GO WELL WITH PUBLIC OPINION IF WE SIMPLY WAIT FOR THE CHINESE, WHO WILL PROBABLY NOT THEMSELVES INITIATE ANY FURTHER DIALOGUE.
.7.
I THEREFORE PROPOSE THAT UKREP JLG SHOULD CALL ON GUO AT THE END OF THIS WEEK (HE RETURNS FROM PEKING ON 29 OCTOBER). AND ASK HOW THE CHINESE WISH TO PURSUE MATTERS,
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HE MIGHT SAY THAT WE ARE
READY TO MEET WHENEVER THE CHINESE WISH, THAT WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER THE CHINESE CRITICISMS MADE IN PEKING, AND THAT WE WOULD BE VERY GLAD TO HEAR ANY ALTERNATIVE CHINESE IDEAS ON THE 1995 ELECTIONS. JUDICIOUS USE OF THIS LINE IN PUBLIC WOULD ALLOW US TO SHOW WILLING WITHOUT GIVING THE IMPRESSION THAT WE ARE ON THE DEFENSIVE.
8
: WILL CERTAINLY WANT TO DISCUSS THE END GAME WITH MINISTERS WHEN ! VISIT LONDON IN NOVEMBER. I HAVE READ SIR R MCLAREN'S SUGGESTIONS ON THE WAY FORWARD (PEKING TELNO 1472), BUT I DO NOT AGREE THAT I SHOULD MODIFY MY PROPOSALS IN ORDER THAT THEY CAN BE PRESENTED PLAUSIBLY TO THE CHINESE AS HAVING MET THEIR MOST IMPORTANT CONCERNS. I FRANKLY SEE VIRTUALLY NO CHANCE OF BRINGING THE CHINESE TO ACCEPT, OR EVEN TO ACQUIESCE IN, PROPOSALS WHICH WOULD WIN THE SUPPORT OF THE MAJORITY IN HONG KONG. THE LAST THING I WISH TO ENGAGE IN IS ENDLESS DISCUSSIONS WITH CHINA. MY DEADLINE REMAINS
MY AIM IS THEREFORE TO PUT LEGISLATION TO LEGCO IN FEBRUARY. THIS IS NECESSARY IF THE BOUNDARY AND ELECTION COMMISSION IS TO HAVE TIME TO DO ITS WORK BEFORE THE 1994 ELECTIONS. A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME WILL ALSO BE REQUIRED FOR VOTER REGISTRATION.
9. IF LEGCO ARE NOT PREPARED TO SUPPORT MY PROPOSALS, I WILL OF COURSE HAVE TO CONSIDER MODIFICATIONS. BUT IT MUST BE PRESSURE FROM THIS QUARTER, RATHER THAN FROM THE CHINESE, WHICH IS THE DETERMINING FACTOR. I RECOGNISE OF COURSE THAT CHINESE OPPOSITION HAS AN EFFECT ON SEVERAL GROUPS OF LEGCO MEMBERS. THEY ARE LIKELY
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Redacted under FOI exemption 27(1)