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052361
MDLI 9702
SAID THE BRITISH SIDE WAS PREPARED TO GIVE FULL SUPPORT TO THE GOVERNOR TO FIGHT FOR HKG OFFICIALS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE BRITISH- TEAM. THE POST SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE HK REPRESENTATION ON THE BRITISH TEAM WITH THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS EXPECTED TO BE THE SECOND MOST SENIOR MEMBER OF THE BRITISH TEAM. THE TEAM WOULD BE LED BY THE AMBASSADOR TO PEKING, SIR ROBIN MCLAREN AND WOULD ALSO INCLUDE THE POLITICAL ADVISER, WILLIAM EHRMAN AND THE FCO'S HKD HEAD, PETER RICKETTS. THE PAPER NOTED THIS WAS IN SHARP CONTRAST WITH PEKING'S VIEW THAT HK OFFICIALS SHOULD SERVE ONLY AS SUPPORT STAFF TO THE TEAM. IT WAS REPORTED JIANG ZEMIN, IN AN INTERVIEW WITH A US NEWS ORGANISATION ON 23 FEBRUARY, CALLED ON THE BRITISH SIDE TO RETURN TO THE THREE COMPLIANCES' AND RESUME CO- OPERATION ON HK'S CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
9.
REPORTS NOTED (10.3) THE MINISTER WITH SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HK, ALAISTAIR GOODLAD, IN A REPLY TO THE ADPL ON BEHALF OF THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, SAID ON THE QUESTION OF ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS IN HK FOR 1994/95, THERE WAS NO SECRET DEAL BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA. IF AN AGREEMENT WAS REACHED THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO LEGCO. THE BOTTOM LINE OF THE BRITISH SIDE WAS THE AGREEMENT SHOULD BE FAIR, OPEN AND ACCEPTABLE TO HK PEOPLE. MR GOODLAD SAID, CONSTITUTIONALLY, THE RELEVANT LEGISLATION HAD TO BE ENACTED BY LEGCO AND HK PEOPLE'S VIEWS WOULD THEREFORE BE FULLY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. BRITAIN WOULD RESPECT LEGCO'S DECISION BUT THE DECISION HAD TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH BRITAIN'S INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS. A SPOKESMAN OF THE FCO INDICATED THE INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS REFERRED TO BY MR GOODLAD INCLUDED THE JD.
10. NCNA HK VICE DIRECTOR ZHENG JUNSHENG CRITICISED (10.3) THE BRITISH SIDE FOR DISCLOSING INFORMATION ON EXCHANGES WITH THE CHINESE SIDE ON THE RESUMPTION OF TALKS. MR ZHENG INDICATED AT PRESENT, BOTH SIDES WERE STILL DISCUSSING THE QUESTION VIA DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS AND PRIOR TO ANY RESULTS ACHIEVED, HE HOPED THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD NOT SAY TOO MUCH TO MISLEAD THE PUBLIC. OTHERWISE IT WOULD POSE OBSTACLES TO THE RESUMPTION OF TALKS AND THE BRITISH SIDE HAD TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HISTORICAL RESPONSIBILITY.
11.
REPORTS NOTED (11.3) THE FOREIGN SECRETARY TOLD MPS AT COMMONS QUESTION TIME THAT THE PUBLISHING OF THE LEGISLATION FOR THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS HAD BEEN DELAYED IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE BEST POSSIBLE CLIMATE FOR THE TALKS. HOWEVER, IT HAD BEEN MADE
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