18
VERMENT HOUSE HONG KONG.
HED 03 MAR 93 07:21
PG.11
香港總督府
BY FAX
SECRET
GOVERNMENT HOUSE
png ONG KONG
mes Stank
мля
3 March, 1993
اميره
Nigel Cox Esq.,
H&B
British Embassy, Peking
Deen Moel
012/3
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
15 MAR 1993
ryss
INCL
T
Discussions with the Chinese Draft Statement to LegCo
Gen:
M
M
Wheren 12 Burke
REGISTRY
e rehen
مكن
As indicated in our telno 17 earlier today, we have three possible courses open to us this week:
(1)
(11)
(iii)
announce that talks are starting and an early date;
gazette the legislation; or
make a full unilateral statement of the position reached in diplomatic contacts between the two sides, as we see it.
There will be a special meeting of ExCo at 6 p.m. tomorrow to review the position in the light of whatever response we have had by then from the Chinese side. If we have no agreement on talks, ExCo might opt for gazettal. Our only practical fallback is (iii) above and we have drafted a contingency statement (A) to cover this (attached). The Governor considers this to be the minimum necessary to maintain credibility here.
For your own information the Governor would propose to make this to LegCo at 2 p.m. on Friday.
I attach an alternative draft statement (B) in case we are able to agree a basis for talks with the Chinese side before Friday. The Governor would also propose to make this statement to LegCo at the same time on Friday. The Governor is content with the drafts but they are still subject to further comment here.
If you or Hong Kong Department have any comments on either statement could you please let us have these by 9 a.m. Hong Kong time tomorrow (Thursday) Please?
/I also