RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1775
OF 01094OZ JULY 92
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HEC 012/1
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INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
pa
Mer Barton 34
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161651
MDHIAN 0037
TOP COPY Q DIST?
POLITICAL ISSUES: ARTICLE IN BAUHINIA MAGAZINE
1. THE LEFT WING WEN WEI PO TODAY (1 JULY) CARRIES THE TEXT OF AN ARTICLE FROM THE NOT YET RELEASED JULY ISSUE OF THE BAUHINIA MAGAZINE. THIS ARTICLE IS ENTITLED 'MAINTAINING STABILITY AND PROSPERITY AND IMPLEMENTING A SMOOTH TRANSFER'.
2. THE BAUHINIA ARTICLE IS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT AFTER ASSUMING OFFICE, THE NEW GOVERNOR MUST STRICTLY ADHERE TO AND FULLY IMPLEMENT THE SPIRIT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE MOU. PEOPLE HAD PINNED HIGH HOPES ON HIM. BUT A SERIES OF ACTIONS BY BRITAIN BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF THE NEW GOVERNOR HAD MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR
THEM TO FEEL OPTIMISTIC.
3. THE ARTICLE LISTS THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES OF DEVIATION FROM THE
BASIC LAW:
(A) REFERENCES BY THE PRIME MINISTER AND MR PATTEN TO HONG KONG'S QUOTE FREEDOM, STABILITY AND PROSPERITY UNQUOTE. THIS IS DESCRIBED AS A WELL-DESIGNED MOVE TO ALTER THE SPIRIT OF THE
JOINT DECLARATION.
(B) DELIBERATELY ELEVATING THE POSITION OF THOSE CONFRONTING THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT. THE ARTICLE STATES THAT IN MAY THE PRIME MINISTER BROKE THE RULES BY MEETING SO-CALLED QUOTE FIGHTERS FOR DEMOCRACY UNQUOTE IN LONDON. THESE PEOPLE THEN CLAIMED THAT THEY
STOOD A GOOD CHANCE OF BEING APPOINTED TO EXCO AND THAT THE
BRITISH SIDE WOULD INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS
IN LEGCO IN 1995.
(C) OPENLY ADVOCATING AMENDING THE BASIC LAW TO PAVE THE WAY FOR
ILLEGALLY BOOSTING THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN LEGCO.
THIS IS OF COURSE A REFERENCE TO THE REMARKS MADE BY MR GOODLAD
IN HONG KONG.
(D) ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXCO AND LEGCO
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