SECRET
DESKBY
proposals may well be re-shaped. To give this message maximum impact, I am prepared to send a message to Foreign Minister Qian before the Governor tables his draft legislation, drawing
attention to any changes in it, explaining the legislative
process, and reiterating HMG's wish to embark on serious
discussions with China on these issues. We might also reinforce
this message through Ministerial contact with the Chinese
Ambassador in London.
12. These steps should keep the public momentum behind the
Governor's proposals up to the point at which they are tabled,
but also ensure that alternatives which move in the direction of
Chinese concerns are discussed privately with China and then
tabled. It will then be up to Leg Co to establish the best point
of balance. This puts a considerable responsibility on them.
There is no guarantee that it will produce a satisfactory result.
The best outcome would be the emergence of a compromise package
with which no one faction in LecGo was entirely content but which
met our objectives of free and fair elections, and also dealt
with the points which the Chinese have indicated privately cause
them most difficulty. I would expect such an amended package to
be greeted with considerable relief in Hong Kong. That may make
it easier to build a respectable LegCo majority for it although
the risk remains that an amended package will satisfy neither of
the main camps in LegCo.
13.
It is almost certainly too much to hope that we would be
able to secure Chinese acquiescence in whatever emerges from
LegCo. But their latest comments suggest that they will be
prepared to calibrate their reactions to reflect the outcome of
LegCo discussion. Direct discussions with China will still be
desirable at some point to make the most of any changes which
LegCo intend to adopt. My next six-monthly meeting with the
Chinese Foreign Minister (which is due to take place in the
Easter