SECRET
TALKS
Draft
: 4.3.93
Time : 11.00 hrs
Draft Statement by the Governor to the Legislative Council
1.
afternoon.
I
have a
I
significant
announcement
to make this
felt it right to make it first to Honourable
Members of this Council.
2.
The Chinese and British sides have agreed that the
Government representatives of the two countries will, starting
from (date), hold talks in Peking on the arrangements for 1994/95
elections in Hong Kong, in accordance with the Sino-British Joint
Declaration, the principle of convergence with the Basic Law and
the relevant understandings and agreements reached between China
and Britain/ [the exchange of correspondence between the two
Foreign Ministers.]
3.
The British side in the talks will be led by the
British Ambassador to China, Sir Robin McLaren. The delegation
will also include the Secretary for Constitutional Affairs,
Michael Sze, the Political Adviser, William Ehrman, the Deputy
Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, Peter Lai, as well as Peter
Ricketts, Head of the Hong Kong Department in the Foreign and
Commonwealth office.
4.
Before introducing the remaining draft legislation on
the 1994/95 electoral arrangements into the Legislative Council,
which will have to enact the final legislation, I have decided,
SECRET