UNCLASSIFIED
TNB az I
pa Con and
142375
NDLIAN 2463
RECI
"RY
-C FEB 1993
INC
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 184
OF 060444Z FEBRUARY 93
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
OUR TELNO 172: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
EXCO DISCUSSIONS
1. FURTHER TO TUR, A NUMBER OF REPORTS IN TODAY'S PAPERS ALSO QUOTED SOURCES ALLEGEDLY CLOSE TO EXCO OR HKG AS SAYING THAT EXCO HAD ENDORSED, WITHOUT ANY AMENDMENT, THE CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE ON 2 FEBRUARY. THE PAPERS SAID THAT THE PROPOSALS WOULD BE GAZETTED ON 12 FEBRUARY AND INTRODUCED INTO LEGCO ON 17 FEBRUARY.
2. ORIENTAL DAILY PLAYED UP THE POINT THAT HKG HAD ASKED EXCO TO ENDORSE THE PACKAGE IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM TO AVOID GIVING THE IMPRESSION THAT WE HAD SOFTENED OUR STANCE. HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL SAID THAT EXCO MEMBERS HAD BEEN UNDER GREAT PRESSURE FROM THE CHINESE, BUSINESS CIRCLES AND SOME LEGCO MEMBERS TO AMEND OUR
IN PROPOSALS. MEMBERS NEVERTHELESS FELT IT MORE APPROPRIATE, TACTICAL TERMS, TO LEAVE IT TO LEGCO TO CONSIDER AMENDING THEM. THE PAPER ALSO REPORTED THAT THE CHINESE WERE AWARE OF OUR LEGISLATIVE TIME-TABLE AND HAD BEEN PSYCHOLOGICALLY PREPARED FOR EXCO NOT AMENDING OUR PROPOSALS.
PATTEN
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
64
DISTRIBUTION
64
.HK POLICY
HKD
PUSD
FED
LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT
./MS BROOKS AND MR GILES
NEWS D
NTCD
PLANNERS
RAD
PS
PS/MR GOODLAD
SIR J COLES MR HUM
PAGE
1
UNCLASSIFIED