SECRET
P.r. Coucht Kupt (Sem)
DIEU
BROTT
93;
Foreign & Commonwealth
Office
01213
29 September 1993
RECE
~ISTRY
4
1043
Martin Dinham Esq
Government House
HONG KONG
DESK
INDEX
GISTRY
PA
un Taken)
h
Dear Martin
GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS TO LEGCO
1.
London SWIA 2AH
Telephone: 071-
fax
Many thanks for sending us a copy of the extracts from the Governor's speech dealing with relations with China.
2.
The following are our immediate comments. Mr Goodlad has seen these, but the Secretary of State (who is in New York) has not. I propose to send a copy of the draft speech to New York with Christopher Hum. He will let you know direct from New York whether the Secretary of State has any further changes to propose in the light of the bilateral with Qian.
We
3. We had very few comments on the substance of the speech. thought that it covered the ground very effectively and got the balance right between the constitutional talks and Hong Kong's broader relations with China. Some minor points of language and presentation are set out in the Annex. The following are, I think, the only points of any substance:
We thought that the passage on the JLG (paras 148 to 149) rather tailed off. We suggest that it should be built up with some examples of how failure to complete the agenda will affect people's lives, (recognition of civil contracts like marriages and divorces in overseas Courts; dependable air services) and ought to refer to the position reached on Defence Lands. The Governor might also make the point that there is no British interest to be served by resolving issues on the JLG agenda: settling these issues would benefit the SAR and China;
The question of a deadline in the negotiations (para 169 to 170). This is a crucial passage in the speech. We agree on the need to avoid laying down an ultimatum. But we did not think that the point emerged clearly enough from these paragraphs that there is an irresistible practical deadline only a matter of weeks away. We wonder whether the point might be built up somewhat, along the lines of the attachment to this letter;
the peroration is a forceful and highly personal statement on which the Governor will not welcome editorial thoughts. We have therefore focussed our comments on one or two phrases into which we think some of the audiences for the speech might read unintended and unhelpful messages. But we fully
recognise the need not to weaken the overall effect of the passage.
gov.add.PET.JRB
SECRET