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. Possible visit by Mr Jack Cunningham, MP, to the Far East
The Opposition Foreign Affairs spokesman, Mr Jack Cunningham MP, called on the Secretary of State this morning, primarily to discuss China and Hong Kong.
The Secretary of State briefed Mr Cunningham on the recent
exchanges with the Chinese. We were hopeful that there would be an announcement in the next day or so of official level talks to explore whether there was scope for agreement, to be recommended to the Hong Kong Government, on electoral arrangements for 1994-1995.
Mr Cunningham said he had been subjected to fierce lobbying last week by Ambassador MA who had argued that the Labour party should demand the withdrawal of the Governor's proposals as that was the only possible way forward. Mr Cunningham had been rather surprised to read in this morning's press that the Chinese were now changing their position. He had told Ma at the time that there was no question of the Labour party demanding the withdrawal of the Governor's proposals; on the contrary, they strongly supported extending the franchise in Hong Kong.
The Secretary of State showed Mr Cunningham the recent David Healy article in the Hong Kong Sunday Morning Post headlined "Tide turns against Patten" suggesting that the Labour Party was changing its view. Mr Cunningham said it was true that he had had a long discussion with Ma, as the article reported, but the views attributed to "a shadow Minister" certainly did not reflect his discussion, though he could not entirely rule out that another Minister may have spoken to that effect. He would speak again to Ambassador Ma at the latter's reception tonight for the Labour Party and emphasise the Party's position.
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