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On extra conditions for riding the "through train" it is of course intolerable that the Chinese should seek to invent new conditions to throw Martin Lee off. I said as much to Lu Ping when he raised the subject last September. But the way the problem is posed in your letter allows them greater latitude than they actually deserve. The Basic Law only requires allegiance to the SAR, not to the SAR Government. It is the Chinese who have recently been adding that extra condition. We should not accept even that point.
On the more general point about Ministers having a chance to comment on matters like the voting system before decisions are set in concrete, yes indeed. All these things are going to be a matter of difficult discussion with the Chinese. Before embarking on those discussions we must clear our lines between Hong Kong and London.
Selecting the First Chief Executive etc.
Agreed that we should aim to resume discussions towards the end of this year. Agreed also that these have to be handled with great sensitivity with much of them being at the level of the Governor. But it would not be right to conduct them with "Chinese representatives in Hong Kong", as in your letter. is something ideally suited for the Lu Ping/Governor channel.
The Economy
This
I agree that we should use businessmen to explain certain points to the Chinese when necessary. Also that we should keep various messages up our sleeve for use when necessary. But I am not clear why the meeting thought a Prime Ministerial message might be necessary in such a short timescale as soon after Qian's visit.
General
I was struck, reading your letter, how useful it must have been to have time for a fairly lengthy discussion with the Secretary of State on general issues affecting Hong Kong. It would be useful to fit in a similar discussion next time I am back in London.
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