CONFIDENTIAL
MDHIAN
3.
POSITION BEING ADOPTED BY HMG WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON
CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS. THE OMELCO CONSENSUS WAS PASSED TO
THE CHINESE SIDE AT AN THAT IT COMMANDED WIDE
EARLIER STAGE: IT WAS POINTED OUT PUBLIC SUPPORT IN HONG KONG. THE
REASON WHY IT WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE PUBLISHED DOCUMENTS
IS THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS HAD BY THEN MOVED BEYOND THAT
STAGE.
THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WERE KEPT FULLY BRIEFED THROUGHOUT THESE DISCUSSIONS. HMG'S AIM IN THESE DISCUSSIONS WAS TO
SEEK THE MAXIMUM EXTENT OF DEMOCRACY FOR THE FUTURE
CONSISTENT WITHE EXPRESSED DESIRE FOR THE SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT IN 1997. UNQUOTE.
ON GROUNDS OF CONFIDENTIALITY, WE INTEND TO GIVE STONE- WALLING ANSWERS IN RESPONSE TO LIKELY SUPPLEMENTARIES ON FURTHER
DETAILS OF THE DIPLOMATIC NEGOTIATIONS AND/OR EXCO DISCUSSIONS.
WE SHALL STICK CLOSELY TO THE DEFENSIVE MATERIAL AND
SUPPLEMENTARY Q AND A'S PREPARED FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THE DIPLOMATIC EXCHANGES ON 28 OCTOBER.
5. GRATEFUL FOR COMMENTS FROM YOU AND PEKING DESKBY 10010OZ.
PATTEN
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Redacted under FOI exemption 27(1)|