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16 September 1993
012/1
13
Dear
TUKEIT
به بنادر
PWR Constip
Sept.
1817/9
for Myra's
177
M Bite 769
Miss Schale 17/9
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Talks with China on Hong Kong
ниор
Foreign & Commonwealth
Office
DIE
London SWIA 2AH
Rioja
The Prime Minister might like an up-date on the talks with China on electoral issues in Hong Kong.
As agreed at OPD(K) on 1 July, we have put forward revised proposals on Functional Constituencies and the Election Committee. We have continued to press for a response to our proposals on criteria for the Chinese to use in confirming that members of LegCo elected in 1995 can continue through 1997 to 1999 (the "through train").
In short, we have not yet got into a serious negotiation. There is still a significant gap between the two sides. The prospects are not bright that the Chinese can be brought to agree on elections which would be fair, open and acceptable to Hong Kong people. But the community in Hong Kong expect us do all we can to reach an acceptable agreement. We cannot yet conclude that such an agreement is impossible.
The next key events are:
=
- A further meeting between the Foreign Secretary and the Chinese Foreign Minister in New York on 1 October. The Foreign Secretary plans to underline that we still want an agreement, but that there is a point beyond which we cannot go and that if agreement is impossible, we shall carry out our responsibility to make the necessary arrangements to hold open elections. In preparation for this meeting, the Foreign Secretary will be sending his Chinese counterpart a message reinforcing the importance of early Chinese movement on the through train.
SECRET
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