SECRET
043327 MDHIAN 2556
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 0908OOZ FCO
TELNO 378
OF 090636Z MARCH 93
INFO DESKBY 09080OZ PEKING
INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG
THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN CLOSED UNDER
FOI EXEMPTION NO. ..27.(1)..
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: EXCO, 9 MARCH
SUMMARY
·
THE COUNCIL AGREED,
THAT WE SHOULD GAZETTE THE REMAINING LEGISLATION ON 12 MARCH UNLESS WE HAD REACHED AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE BY 11 MARCH ON THE TERMS OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING DATES, AND ON HONG KONG REPRESENTATION AND THE QUESTION OF SECRECY CON NEITHER OF WHICH THERE WAS FURTHER ROOM FOR COMPROMISE). IF ALL THESE ARE AGREED BUT THE CHINESE ASK FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO BE DELAYED A FEW DAYS, E.G. TO COINCIDE WITH THE OPENING OF THE NPC ON 15 MARCH, WE SHOULD AGREE AND NOT GAZETTE.
2.
THE COUNCIL AGREED THAT MR GOODLAD SHOULD INFORM AMBASSADOR MA OF THE POINTS IN THE FIRST SENTENCE OF PARAGRAPH 1 ABOVE. WE SHALL NEED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THE WAY FORWARD BY 3PM HONG KONG TIME ON 11 MARCH WHEN I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION SESSION IN LEGCO. THIS IS, IN EFFECT, OUR DEADLINE AND AMBASSADOR MA SHOULD BE IN NO DOUBT ABOUT THIS.
DETAIL
3. I STARTED BY MAKING SOME GENERAL POINTS. I HAD FOUND IT VERY TIRESOME THAT SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE CRC WERE SAYING THAT EXCO HAD AGREED TO GAZETTE THE BILL LAST WEEK BUT HAD BEEN OVERRULED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. THIS WAS OF COURSE UNTRUE. UNFORTUNATELY I DID NOT THINK CRC HAD JUST MADE UP THE STORY.
I SAID THAT I ALSO WANTED TO BE CLEAR ON WHAT WAS PUT BEFORE THE COUNCIL IN TERMS OF REPORTS. WE MADE AVAILABLE THE REPORTING TELEGRAMS FROM PEKING BUT WE DID NOT MAKE AVAILABLE THE COMMENTS OR ADVICE OF THE AMBASSADOR. THAT WAS ADDRESSED TO YOU. AFTER DISCUSSION BETWEEN PEKING, HONG KONG AND THE FCO, I REFLECTED YOUR VIEWS IN WHAT I SAID TO EXCO. I THOUGHT THAT WE SHOULD
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