UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 893
OF 021039Z JUNE 93
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
pa. Leglo (Ruiz)
123343 MDHIAN 308465
all Saudes con
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: REMARKS BY MR GOODLAD
1. THE PRESS TODAY (2 JUNE) ACCORDED EXTENSIVE COVERAGE TO MR GOODLAD'S MEETING WITH LEGCO MEMBERS YESTERDAY. MEDIA INTEREST WAS FOCUSED ON REMARKS PURPORTEDLY MADE BY HIM ON HOW LEGCO COULD
TAKE FORWARD ANY AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA ON THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS. ACCORDING TO MARTIN LEE (UDHK), MR GOODLAD HAD SAID THAT ANY AGREEMENT ON THE 1994/95 ARRANGEMENT WOULD TAKE THE FROM OF AN UNDERSTANDING, INSTEAD OF 'A CONTRACT OR A TREATY'. IF LEGCO WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE UNDERSTANDING WITHIN
THE PARAMETERS OF JD AND BRITAIN'S INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS.
FRED LI (MEETING POINT) SAID A 'MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING'
WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE AS IT OFFERED MORE ROOM FOR LEGCO TO MANOEUVRE. LI ALSO QUOTED MR GOODLAD AS SAYING HE BELIEVED THE UNDERSTANDING WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO LEGCO.
2. THERE ARE CONFLICTING REPORTS ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF LEGCO AMENDING ANY UNDERSTANDING REACHED BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES. EMILY LAU SAID MR GOODLAD HAD NOT REPLIED TO THE QUESTION, WHILE BOTH MARTIN LEE AND FRED LI CLAIMED THAT MR GOODLAD HAD SAID BRITAIN WOULD DISCUSS WITH CHINA PROPOSED AMENDMENTS BY LEGCO IF THEY
WERE WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE JD.
3. IN RESPONSE TO PRESS ENQUIRIES, THE GOVERNOR HAS TAKEN THE FOLLOWING LINE:
(I) ON WHETHER LEGCO CAN AMEND AN UNDERSTANDING REACHED BETWEEN
BRITAIN AND CHINA:
-
MR GOODLAD DID NOT SAY ANYTHING DIFFERENT FROM WHAT HAS BEEN
SAID BY THE BRITISH SIDE ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS:
THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD NOT ACCEPT A SETTLEMENT WHICH IT DOES
NOT BELIEVE IS ACCEPTABLE TO LEGCO AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG:
AND
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